The Salseros: Now (Part II)

Marc Anthony is no typical Salsa singer. He has a powerful voice – a range that is enviable by most singers. He can sing anything, English or Spanish. But, Spanish is his strength. Whatever he sings, party songs or love songs – his voice is sensual, confident, and soaring. He is the Prince of Salsa – the biggest-selling Salsa artist of all time.

While he doesn’t have a bad album in his extensive catalog, his two standout albums – Todo En Su Tiempo (Everything In Its Time) and Contra La Correinte (Against The Current) are must-haves. From the first album, the tunes Nadie Como Ella (Nobody Like Her), Te Conozco Bien (I Know You Well), and Hasta Ayer (Until Yesterday) are the best. And for those who haven’t heard Mrs. Anthony sing in Spanish, which she should do more of; the duet No Me Ames (Don’t Love Me) is a lovely song. They both shine!

In the recent Jennifer Lopez/Marc Anthony film, El Cantante, Anthony is luminescent in his singing performances as the legend, Héctor Lavoe. The entire album inspired by the movie is recommended to fans of both Lavoe and Anthony.

To watch the 2005 Grammy performance of Escapémonos, another Anthony/Lopez duet, go to the Blogroll on the right and click: Escapemonos Video

For the No Me Ames video, Click: No Me Ames Video

The Salseros: Then

Willie Colón was one of the pioneers of Salsa during the 1970s in New York City. As trombone player, composer, and bandleader, he was instrumental in the musical careers of Hispanics arriving in the U.S. at the time: Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, and Héctor Lavoe, among them. His most successful partnerships were with vocalists Lavoe and Blades. While their solo efforts were formidable, their collaborations with Colón were exceptional and financially viable.

Colón has been recording since he was 18 years old. His debut album, El Malo, was one of the first albums to have that “New York Sound.” This album was the beginning of his partnership with Héctor Lavoe.

Héctor Lavoe’s extraordinary vocals garnered him the nickname “El Cantante de Los Cantantes” (The Singer of Singers). His voice is angelic and soars above the music. His standout songs include: El Cantante, Mi Gente (My People,) Che Che Colé, and El Dia de Suerte (The Lucky Day). To watch a 1979 video of Lavoe singing “El Cantante,” click here.

Rubén Blades is among the most successful vocalists from Panama and continues to influence Salsa music with his modern arrangements and intelligent and politically relavent lyrics. His standout songs include: Siembra, Ligia Elena, Buscando Guayaba, Maria Lionza, and Pedro Navaja (the biggest selling single in Salsa history, a Spanish barrio version of Mack The Knife). To watch a video of Blades singing “Pedro Navajo,” click here.

Below are albums that were instrumental in reviving Latin music in the U.S. and still stand as Salsa’s finest moments.

Colón/Lavoe:

• Cosa Nuestra (Our Thing)
• La Gran Fuga (The Big Break)
• The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Colón/Blades:

• Siembra (Sow)
• Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos (Songs from the Neighborhood of the Bored)

La Isla Bonita

Puerto Rico has a long history of rich culture and music. Music from the island country is vibrant, sensual, and festive. Its musical influences include: the mambo and the son from Cuba, the merengue from the Dominican Republic, American jazz, and romantic ballads from Spain. The most prevalent genres of Purto Rican are: danza (rich in harmonies, resembling classical music,) plena (narrative songs about contemporary events,) bomba (African rhythms, masks, and spiritual worship), and the most famous of them: salsa.

Salsa began in the late 1960’s to describe this new genre. It’s birth was in New York City. Just as Nueva York is a mix of so many cultures, so were the influences that brought about salsa. Salsa is for dancing, and its rhythms are caliente, and compelling.