Music of Puerto Rico - Genres: Salsa

The spread of Salsa - page 5

Salsa has definitely made Puerto Rico famous in the world of international music. Salsa bands require access to a huge array of percussion instruments, including the güiro, maracas, bongos, timbales, conga drums, and clave. To add the jibaro touch, a clanging cow bell is also needed. Of course, it also takes a bass, a horn section, a chorus and, a lead vocalist to give salsa the right sound.

But there can be no doubt that salsa music has made fans from all corners of the world. Salsa dance clubs have sprung up in cities as diverse and far from San Juan and New York, as Stockholm, Tokyo, Sydney, and Berlin. Salsa has become so widespread and popular around the world that salsa bands comprised entirely of talented musicians and vocalists that are not Puerto Rican or even Latin, have emerged everywhere.

Moreover, many women have emerged as talented contributors to the development of salsa. La India and Trina Medina are excellent examples.

The Son Reinas is an excellent example of both these trends in the spread of salsa. A Tokyo based group of talented Japanese salseras!

Salsa today - page 4