Salsa Music

Salsa is an exciting kind of Latin music. It has fast beats and lots of horns. Salsa began with Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians in New York City. The music is famous for its fun dance that goes along with it.

How Salsa Started

Salsa came from music styles like Cuban son and mambo. In the 1960s and 1970s, Latin musicians in New York mixed these sounds with jazz. They called the new music salsa, which means sauce in Spanish. The name shows how the music is a spicy mix of many flavors. It soon became popular all over the world.

The Sound of Salsa

Salsa bands have lots of instruments. They use trumpets, trombones, pianos, and many drums and shakers. Singers often sing in Spanish and take turns with a group chorus. The beat is strong and never stops. Once you hear it, your feet want to move.

Fun Facts

• Salsa dancers move their hips to the beat of the music.
• The congas and bongos are two important drums in salsa.
• Famous singer Celia Cruz was known as the Queen of Salsa.

Did You Know?

Some salsa songs have more than 10 musicians playing at the same time to create a big, exciting sound.