Buena Vista Social Club is an amazing story. All these Cuban legends were forced to quit playing after the Cuban Revolution (all the clubs and bars were shut down). Years later and Ry Cooder and his team heads over there (he was originally going to west Africa I believe until last-minute visa issues stopped the band coming to America to record) and gathers them all up. Most of them hadn't played in years and most of their instruments had rotted away due to neglect. They record an album that gets released to HUGE acclaim, way more than any of them individually had before.
Just imagine thinking you had your shot and lost it, only to be given a second chance and completely exceeding your own expectations. This is completely worth of 'Essentials' in my opinion.