As a member of Cuban vocal quartet, Cuarteto las d'Aida, the singer performed with
Nat 'King' Cole at The Tropicana Club (1958), a venue that was then Cuba's most famous nightspot (
Carmen Miranda,
Marlon Brando and
Josephine Baker had appeared there). Portuondo went solo in 1967 performing alongside such greats as 'Tony Bennet (I)' and appeared at London's Buena Vista Social Club (July 2008). The singer claims that her appearance in
Wim Wenders'
Buena Vista Social Club (1999) was the turning point in consolidating her solo singing career.
