39 articles
Adalberto Álvarez
Adalberto Álvarez (1948–2021) was a Cuban pianist, composer, and bandleader known as "El Caballero del Son", who founded Son 14 in 1978 and Adalberto Álvarez y su Son in 1984.
Cecilia Noël
Cecilia Noël is a Peruvian-born singer and bandleader in Los Angeles, creator of the "Salsoul" fusion of salsa, soul, jazz, funk, and Afro-Cuban music. Distinct from the Quebec experimental artist CECILIA and Chilean singer Cecilia; leads the Wild Clams, is married to Colin Hay, and won the Cubadisco 2015 award for Havana Rocks.
Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz (Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso), Cuban-born "Queen of Salsa"; Sonora Matancera lead singer from 1950, exiled in 1961, Fania star with "Quimbara," over 30 million records sold.
César 'Pupy' Pedroso
César 'Pupy' Pedroso (1946–2022) was a Cuban pianist and composer, a founding member of Los Van Van and later leader of Pupy y Los que Son Son.
Charlie Palmieri
Charlie Palmieri, born Carlos Manuel Palmieri, was an American Latin pianist and bandleader in New York, known as "El Gigante Del Teclado" and as Eddie Palmieri's older brother.
Frankie Ruiz
Frankie Ruiz (José Antonio Torresola Ruiz, 1958–1998), 'El Papá de la Salsa', was a New Jersey-born Puerto Rican salsa romántica singer with La Solución, Tommy Olivencia, and a hit solo career ('Desnúdate Mujer', 'Tú con él').
Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Lavoe (Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez, 1946–1993), Puerto Rican salsa singer known as El Cantante de los Cantantes; lead voice of Willie Colón's band, Fania All-Stars member, famous for El Cantante, Mi gente, and Periódico de ayer.
Jairo Varela
Jairo Varela (1949–2012) was a Colombian salsa composer, singer, and bandleader from Quibdó who founded Grupo Niche in 1979; his "Cali Pachanguero" became Cali's unofficial anthem.
Jerry Rivera
Jerry Rivera, born Gerardo Rivera Rodríguez in 1973, is a Puerto Rican salsa singer whose 1992 album Cuenta Conmigo became one of the best-selling salsa albums ever made.
Johnny Colón
Johnny Colón is a New York pianist, trombonist, singer, and bandleader born in East Harlem in 1942, best known for the 1966 boogaloo hit album Boogaloo Blues.
Johnny Pacheco
Johnny Pacheco (Juan Azarías Pacheco Knipping, 1935–2021) was a Dominican-born flautist, bandleader, and producer who co-founded Fania Records in New York and is called the godfather of salsa.
Johnny Rivera
Johnny Rivera is a New York-born Puerto Rican salsa romantica singer from the South Bronx whose platinum 1993 album Cuando Parará la Lluvia made him an RMM Records staple.
Juan Formell
Juan Formell, born Juan Clímaco Formell Cortina, was a Cuban bassist and bandleader who founded Los Van Van in 1969 and created the songo rhythm, foundation of timba.
Justo Betancourt
Justo Betancourt is a Cuban singer and sonero, born in Matanzas in 1940, the first vocalist signed to Fania Records and known for "Pa' Bravo Yo".
La Charanga Habanera
La Charanga Habanera is a Cuban timba and dance orchestra founded in Havana in 1988 and led since 1992 by violinist David Calzado, known for "Me sube la fiebre."
La India (musician)
La India is the stage name of Linda Viera Caballero, a Puerto Rico-born salsa singer raised in the South Bronx, known as La Princesa de la Salsa.
La Lupe
La Lupe (Lupe Victoria Yolí Raymond), also La Yiyiyi, was an Afro-Cuban singer, the "Queen of Latin Soul", who left Cuba in 1962, recorded with Mongo Santamaría and Tito Puente, and died in the Bronx in 1992.
La Salsa Mayor
La Salsa Mayor, originally Nuestra Orquesta La Salsa Mayor, was a Venezuelan salsa orchestra formed in 1978 by musicians leaving Oscar D'León's band, known for "Fuimos Amigos".
La Sonora Ponceña
La Sonora Ponceña is a Puerto Rican salsa band founded in 1954 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, by Enrique "Quique" Lucca and led by his son, pianist Papo Lucca.
Los Melódicos
Los Melódicos is a Venezuelan dance orchestra founded by Renato Capriles in Caracas in 1958, a great rival of Billo's Caracas Boys, now led by his daughter Iliana.
Los Van Van
Los Van Van is a Cuban dance band founded in Havana in 1969 by Juan Formell, creator of the songo style, known as the Rolling Stones of salsa.
Luis Enrique (singer)
Luis Enrique (Luis Enrique Mejía López, born 1962, Somoto, Nicaragua), "El Príncipe de la Salsa," is a Nicaraguan salsa singer-songwriter and pioneer of salsa romántica; his 2009 album Ciclos won the GRAMMY for Best Tropical Latin Album and he has four Latin GRAMMYs.
Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony (Marco Antonio Muñiz, born 1968, New York) is an American salsa and Latin pop singer of Puerto Rican parents, the best-selling salsa artist of all time, a six-time Grammy/Latin Grammy winner with hits like 'Vivir Mi Vida'.
Mongo Santamaría
Mongo Santamaría (Ramón Santamaría) was a Cuban conga drummer, bandleader, and composer, born in Havana in 1917, known for "Afro Blue" and his 1963 hit "Watermelon Man".
Paquito Guzmán
Paquito Guzmán, born Frank Guzmán Géigel, was a Puerto Rican salsa and bolero singer known for salsa romántica hits like "Esa mujer" and "25 rosas".
Paulito FG
Paulito FG, also billed as Paulo FG (Pablo Alfonso Fernández Gallo), was a Cuban singer and bandleader central to timba, who led his band Élite from 1992.
Pedro Knight
Pedro Knight (Gerónimo Pedro Knight Caraballo, 1921-2007), Cuban trumpeter of La Sonora Matancera and husband, manager, and musical director of Celia Cruz from 1962 until her 2003 death.
Pellín Rodríguez (music)
Pellín Rodríguez, born Pedro Juan Rodríguez de Gracia, was a Puerto Rican salsa singer and founding vocalist of El Gran Combo from 1962 to 1973.
Pupy y Los Que Son Son
Pupy y Los Que Son Son is a Cuban timba orchestra founded in 2001 by pianist and composer César "Pupy" Pedroso after three decades with Los Van Van.
Rafael Ithier
Rafael Ithier was a Puerto Rican pianist, arranger, and bandleader who served for more than six decades as musical director of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.