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Finding
Salsa Music |
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By
far the best website about tropical Latin-American music (salsa,
mambo, Afro-Cuban Latin jazz, etc) is Descarga.com.
It has a huge selection of salsa CDs, from the latest, contemporary
releases to classic and vintage albums from the past few decades.
With reputable and invaluable reviews, audio previews of many
of the albums they sell, and online ordering.
Both CDBaby.com
and AllMusic.com
cover all musical genres, including tropical Latin-American,
and also provide useful reviews and audio previews, as well
as purchase/download options. Both sites are useful, AllMusic
is more of a music database of information and reviews, CDBaby
is an independent online record store that pays artists directly.
If you're looking to download music
online, Apple's iTunes
Music Store has a pretty good collection of all
types of Latin music. It's easy to use, not too expensive,
unless you get carried away (99 cents per song), and you can
listen to samples of the songs before you buy them. A less
expensive option is emusic.com
which works on a subscription basis. Subscriptions start at
$9.99 a month for 30 downloads, which works out to less than
33 cents per song. They have an extensive collection of all
types of music, including Latin and Salsa, and you can listen
to previews of the songs before purchasing them.
If you want to listen to internet
radio stations that play salsa and other Latin music, check
out SHOUTcast.
It has a great selection of high-quality, free Latin and salsa
radio stations. Just do a search for 'salsa' and check out
any of the dozen or so stations on air. The ones broadcasting
at 128kbps have the best sound quality.
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Album
Reviews |
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There
is over fifty years of recorded tropical Latin-American dance
music with great artists and albums from every decade. Salsa
is still an evolving musical genre, as vibrant and engaging
now as it was twenty, thirty or forty years ago, and there
are many outstanding contemporary artists performing and recording
today. Unlike the music of a few decades ago, albums released
by today's artists benefit immensely from the superior audio
quality of modern-day recording and production values.
Here are some albums currently on
our playlist, which you'll hear us playing at SalsaVancouver.net
events. These are noteworthy recent releases by contemporary
artists: |
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El Mensaje
by Rey Ruiz
Released 2009
Rey Ruiz's latest album may be his best one yet, with
some of Puerto Rico's best musicians on hand. Full review
soon...
Website: reyruiz.com
Reviews, audio samples, downloads, purchase options:
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It's
About Time
by Orestes Vilató
Released 2009
Debut album by legendary timbales player Orestes Vilató,
highly respected musician known for his work in bands
wth Ray Barretto, Fania All-Stars, Los Kimbos and more.
In his first release as band leader Vilató delivers
a rich salsa album with strong Cuban grooves and Latin
jazz. Solid musicianship by an extremely talented band
and outstanding lead vocals by local artist Adonis Puentes,
well-known singer/musician here in western Canada, his
second home after Cuba.
Website: orestesvilato.com
Reviews, audio samples, downloads, purchase options
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Arrasando
by Juan Formell y Los Van Van
Released 2009
Four years after their last release, Juan Formell and
Los Van Van are back in a big way with this long-awaited
album. With forty years in the business, Van Van are
sounding better and stronger than ever, and this album
definitely benefits from Juan Formell's son Samuel assuming
leadership of the band and the direction and production
of this album. There are some great tracks on this release
that rank up there with their classic songs. Lots of
energy from the singers (including some great performances
from Mayito Rivera), well-crafted songs with the heavyweight
grooves Van Van are known for, a more expansive sound,
and lush string arrangements. With Arrasando
Van Van prove they are still on top form and still one
of the most important bands creating, exploring and
expanding Cuba's modern dance music.
Website: vanvandeformell.com
Reviews, audio samples, downloads, purchase options:
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Mi
Tumbao Social
by La Excelencia
Released 2009
La Excelencia's second album features a more polished
sound from this talented young band and some of the
best salsa coming out of New York today. A more diverse
range of musical genres on this album with plenty of
the hard salsa they're known for. La Excelencia pay
homage to 1970s roots and New York, Cuban, Colombian,
and Puerto Rican traditions, but ultimately they're
a completely modern and contemporary band playing some
of the best salsa music today.
Website: laexcelencia.net
Reviews, audio samples, downloads, purchase options:
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Historia
del Barrio
by Nabori
Released 2008
Based in Milwaukee of all places (an indication of
how widespread Latin American culture has become in
the United States), Nabori play classic, hard salsa
on their debut album Historia del Barrio. With
a polished and professional sound, a high degree of
musical excellence, upbeat tempos and song arrangements
all deeply rooted in tradition, Nabori play music definitely
aimed at the dance floor.
Website: myspace.com/naborisalsa
Reviews, audio samples, downloads, purchase options:
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Anda
y Pegate
by Maikel Blanco y su Salsa Mayor
Released 2008
Maikel Blanco delivers one of the best Cuban albums
of recent years with this new generation timba/salsa
crossover. Hugely energetic music with a big, bold sound
that's more salsa and less timba than most recent Cuban
music. Contemporary Cuban salsa at its best, mixed with
strong timba, son, charanga roots. Great songs, powerful
arrangements, strong vocals, and hard-driving, irresistable
rhythms.
Website: myspace.com/maikelblancoysusalsamayor
Reviews, audio samples, downloads, purchase options:
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Salsa
Bravisima
by The Original Orquesta Mazacote
Released 2008
Excellent, high-spirited salsa by California-based
Mazacote. Led by Cuban percussionist and composer Orlando
López, arranged and produced by Montreal's Jesus
'El Niño' Alejandro (on piano, tres and flute)
known for his excellent work on Edwin Bonilla's albums.
Fantastic arrangements and musicians, infectious melodies
and vocals. Lively, big-band, dance-floor salsa with
some nice Cuban son influences.
Reviews, audio samples, downloads, purchase options:
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Salsa
Con Conciencia
by La Excelencia
Released 2006
Debut album by hip New York salsa band. Explosive,
hard, raw salsa by talented, young musicians. Good vocals
and harmonies, well-crafted songs, strong horn arrangements,
powerful percussion, and meaningful lyrics about contemporary
urban life. Production values are a little gritty and
raw on this album, but intentionally so.
Website: laexcelencia.net
Reviews, audio samples, downloads, purchase options:
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