INTRODUCTORY SALSA PLAYLIST
PLAYLIST FOR THOSE NEW TO SALSA
MAY 2012
A friend asked me for a list of songs that I could give him that would be a good introduction to salsa, and I thought I would share it. It is not just my favourite tracks, though many are in there. I set myself a few criteria:
- the track must be danceable (Cachondea is a fantastic song, but is way too fast to dance to).
- must cover all the main genres and geographies, so there is dura and romantica, Cuabn and Columbian, and more
- maximum of 20 tracks, which is completely arbitrary but seemed like enough to give a flavour without giving an overwhelming list.
So here it is! The order is alphabetical so there is no ranking. And at the end there are a few that I nearly put in but didn’t make the cut.
DECEMBER 2020
Recreating this as I update the website. I’m kind of impressed with myself. I’m looking through and won’t change any, though a couple do seem a little dated. However, I look at those thatdidn’t make the cut and some make me wonder what I was thinking!
YouTube is was more restrictive now about embedding videos, and some links have died. If anything isn’t working then please message me and I’ll fix it! And if that doesn’t work, or if you just want to listen without notes, there is a YouTube or Spotify playlist.
Aisha by Africando
This was the first salsa track I fell in love with. A cover of a Khaled song, this became many salseros favourite in the late 90s and early 2000s. Africando are a blend of African & Cuban musicians and have produced many great songs. Check out their albums Mandali or Martina too - neither has a bad song on them.
https://youtu.be/aOG_71EjNKQ
Show Me by Alex Wilson
Alex Wilson is a London band leader now based in Switzerland. This song from his 2007 album Inglaterra is definitely his best. Bringing in R&B elements, he defies those who say salsa can’t be sung in English. There’s also a hot reggaeton version.
https://youtu.be/4ax_30adtAg
Candela by Buena Vista Social Club
The Buena Vista Social Club was a project put together the Ry Cooder, the American guitarist. Exploring Cuba he came across a lot of old, almost forgotten musicians and pulled them together to form a sort of super-group. Although there are many great old recordings of the traditional Cuban style, the quality of the musicians and modern production values allow the music to shine again. Many of the tracks are more son than salsa, but this fantastic track crosses boundaries in more ways than one.
https://youtu.be/4_7zkXv17QE
Químbara by Celia Cruz
No collection would be complete without the Queen of salsa. A star in Cuba with La Sonora Matancera, she crossed eras with her partnership with Tito Puente and Fania. This track is perhaps a little fast to dance to, but is a signature piece. Other classics include El Negro Bembón, Cao Cao Mani Picao and La Vida Es Un Carnival and any of these could have appeared in this list without lowering the standard.
https://youtu.be/TxRWQHCSmUg
Amor Para Mi by Cuco Valoy
Perhaps more famous for his hit Juliana, Cuco Valoy was from the Dominican Republic. He made his name with son & merengue hits but also produced some classic salsa tracks, including this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAuR_z08k1E
La Quiero a Morir by DLG
Dark Latin Groove brought a new sound to salsa music in the late 90s - check out the short rap section - but still created swinging salsa tracks as well as some strong romantica numbers. This 1997 track is actually a cover of a French song from the 70s and was deservedly DLG’s biggest hit.
https://youtu.be/wCBu0PkoNPs
No Estamos Loco by David Calzado & La Charanga Habanera
Timba is the contemporary Cuban salsa sound. Often accredited first to NG LA Banda, it is a blend of salsa with other influences, notably jazz & rap. While there are many great timba bands, this track is a personal favourite. Charanga Habanera have been at the forefront of the movement for the last ten years and continue to produce fantastic dance songs like this.
https://youtu.be/1i8cvlb-8EU
Se Me Fue by El Gran Combo
Puerto Rico’s finest export, El Gran Combo are another band who have produced a string of great tracks over the years. Still going strong after 50 years, albeit with a continually changing lineup, they bring a smooth big band sound to salsa. This is a great medium tempo song and a dream to dance to.
https://youtu.be/7BRGvvtPo5E
El Cantante by Hector Lavoe
In the 1970s the Fania record label effectively created salsa as we know it, drawing on both the mambo roots of the 50s &, especially, Puerto Rican music. The Fania All-Stars had a host of amazing musicians, but amongst them Hector Lavoe shone the brightest. While working with Willie Colón and after he went solo he produced a string of classic tracks. A persistent drug user, his career faded quickly after the 1970s and he died in 1993. A biopic based on his life was made in 2006 starring Marc Antony.
https://youtu.be/BNo0vkEYWRc
La Rebelion by Joe Arroyo
Joe Arroyo is one of the greatest soneros that Columbia has ever produced. Originally a protege of Fruko, his solo career with his band, La Verdad, over the 1980s & 1990s produced an outstanding set of salsa tracks. La Rebelion, the story of a slave rebelling against his master, became his signature piece. Perhaps the classic salsa track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWBf9hfW_4Y