Where Did 'Salsa' Music Come From? (Part 1)

What's the story behind "Salsa" music? Where exactly did it come from? Cuba? Puerto Rico? Check out this video to find out!

This video is based on chapter 2 of the book "¡Dale Mambo! A Perspective on Salsa Dancing":

And for more information on the history of Salsa
▶The Salsa Guidebook for Piano & Ensemble by Rebeca Mauleón

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Note: The information presented in this video series is only my perspective based on research that I've done from various sources. It is based on my personal conclusions and is not intended to be presented as established facts. However, I hope that it makes sense to you.

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[Maria-rchf]

Finally someone explains this in a simple way. Thank you so much!

[noahjohnson]

Im a blues player I grew up in south florida im aware of Hispanics and the different cultures its crazy how some things are so similar... Even merengue has a high intense energy like rock and roll and metal can have... Just my opinion... Iv grown to love this type of music its great

[patinodavid]

Great video! Can't wait for the next one.

[Tone-]

Salsa is Cuban and without the Cuban influence Salsa would have never existed

[charlessmith]

So basically, it starts in Africa, and then to some of the Caribbean Islands, especially Cuba and maybe Puerto Rico. Then later on, Colombia. From Cuba particularly, the music transferred to New York (USA), and later on, Puerto Rico (remember Hector Lavoe) sent its music also to New York, and then Fania Records in New York was established - and that was, in my two bits, how salsa music was born.

[Mr-Chris]

Growing up with salsa music, I've always been told salsa was created in New York city by some Jewish guy who combined popular Latin music with jazz and afro beats... I have no idea if any of this is true, but that's what I grew up hearing.

[robertmartin]

So it all came from son montuno in Cuba. Got it. Thanks

[alfredosenalle]

The name "salsa" was given in New York. However this music is really Cuban music.

[LeoMiranda-tq]

The part that said Columbia is wrong is a bembe

[soilomasbello]

Great job on explaining what is and how salsa music developed. Let me present my perspective from a 66 years old Puerto Rican that rise together with the salsa music development.
What I called salsa was develop in New York City by the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s being the more important precursor Fania records. No doubt the base of salsa were rhythms from the Caribbean mostly from Cuba and mainly played by Puerto Rican musicians from el barrio. What distinguishes salsa from traditional Caribbean rhythms is the way they are played. Salsa is played more aggressively as a way of expressing the sentiment of the Latin community in the area at the time. The winds tend to sound irreverent, solos or inspirations were longer and borrowing expressions from jazz music, for example when you hear a son from a salsa band like Ray Barretto vs a traditional son played by Ignacio Piñeiro the feeling you get is different. In my opinion although salsa isn't a rhythm it use is completely justified because it's purpose was twofold, it was an umbrella under which Caribbean rhythms were presented as united for not latin people to understand and also a way to interpret those rhythm.

[MikeTule-smbq]

some stores are banning chilie all together

[LeoMiranda-tq]

En La cultura negro americana se creo el blues el arreglo musical se llamo rock and roll despues .en cuba se origino el son montuno arreglo musical se llamo salsa por musicos puerto riquenos areglo musical le pertenese a los dos pueblos cubanrican

[mariaramirez]

It was call Cuban music and tiene later puerto Rico put it own style and ingredientes and call it salsa new York style by newyorican.

[semadar]

Puerto rican here and i know without cubans there would be no salsa.all the music genres involved are cuban except bomba and plena. Even if puerto ricans didnt popularize it, salsa would still exist. It may sound a little different, but it would still be salsa.there are plenty of salsa musicans who dont use plena or bomba rhythms and you most likely wont see a huge different. We cant forget it was also cubans who developed it in new york and popularized it. Yes it hurts puerto ricans egos knowing that they themselves didnt souly invent salsa and are the best 😂😂😂 but thats ok. Not to mention cuba is the most influential latin country culturally so there really is no comparison. Puerto rico really only has reggaeton and even that wasnt souly due to puerto ricans. Without reggae there would be no reggaeton

[isidrorondon]

Por lo visto quieren contradecir a la gastronómica cundo explica claro que es salsa jijiji 😜 la salsa se usa solamente en la cosina jijiji 😜

[JayAlvarez-tm]

Salsa is Cuban & Puerto Rican you can’t say it’s Cuban without mentioning Puerto Ricans and you can’t say it’s Puerto Rican without mentioning Cubans

[carlosbardales]

Chachacha and Pachanga didn't exist yet in 1948.

[jfender]

It’s Cuban music and because of the blockade polo licans dumb down cuban rhythms and due to ignorance of the the music and religious ties renamed it They also renamed the instruments. Many Polo licans lifted hundreds of Cuban songs and renamed as well and or changed the lyrics.

Its the only musical genre this has happened too. Imagine the outrage if it had happened to Portuguese Fado, the blues Samba or American bebop jazz
el Son
rumba
Danzón
Mambo
Nueva trova
Son montuno
Bolero
Latin jazz
Afro-Cuban jazz
Guajira
Songo
Cha-cha-cha
Mozambique
Rumba
Yuka
Timba
Pachanga
Filin
Criolla
Pilón
Guaracha
Charanga
Trova
Punto guajiro
Contradanza
Changüí
Guaguancó
Cha-cha-cha
Rhumba
Mambo
Conga
Cubaton
Habanera
Montuno
Descarga
Tumba francesa
Zapateado
Mambo
Conjunto
Pregón
Abwe
Tahona

[LeoMiranda-tq]

Africa solo puso los instrumentos esto es ritmo caribeno antillano

[vanessamonroe]

THESE ALWAYS COPYING BLACK FOLKS BUT THEY DONT RESPECT THEM🙄🙄😒