Hardcore Salsa Night - Cali Style

Here is a glimpse into an hardcore salsa night - the music; the people, and the atmosphere here in the World Salsa Capital of Cali, Colombia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7CE02mIKEg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy1tEvz9EnI

These "Salsa Infierno" nights are organized by DJ El Chino's Solar Latin Club. Most salsa music fans are familiar with this very special salsa man and his website. I am proud to say that Felipe is also a dear friend.

Videos such as this provide a good idea of the type of salsa that this city´s hardcore salseros prefer; their fanatisicm and the quality of DJs (sometimes international invited). Of course, there are various hardcore scenes in Cali, but this is a good place to start.

I think that it is good to highlight the hardcore salsero aspects of Cali, because there are still "salseros" in this world, who when informed about Cali's World Salsa Capital status, react as:
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One of the prominent things that you will notice in this video is the love for the MUSIC and the SABOR/ESSENCE with which the salseros react and accompany this delicious rhythm.

I am hoping to be in Medelin in the near future, so I will be checking out the music there. Don't know how far Cali is from there, but maybe I can make a trip.
I will be recording so if I get extra time, I would like to check it out.

tresero said:

I am hoping to be in Medelin in the near future, so I will be checking out the music there. Don't know how far Cali is from there, but maybe I can make a trip.
I will be recording so if I get extra time, I would like to check it out.

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Medellin has its own solid salsa scene and some great orchestras, however, if at all possible, try to make it to Cali and experience the salsa scene here. If you take a plane, then it should take you about 45 minutes to get to Cali from Medellin.

no more videos please... I miss Cali so much

no seriously , very nice video!

it captures just how even the music itself seems enhanced onto a whole new level when its in that kind of atmosphere

matty said:

no more videos please... I miss Cali so much

no seriously , very nice video!

it captures just how even the music itself seems enhanced onto a whole new level when its in that kind of atmosphere

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The people's appreciation of the excellent music oozes out through their "Sabor" and this contributes to the unique atmosphere.

One gets all of this special magic without the senseless mechanical spinning and the silly "manufactured" plastic smiles, nor people going into epileptic fits, sorry I meant performing (choreographed*) shines....LOL!

Matt, I hope that you make it to Cali next year, if you don't manage this December.


[*Shines should to be performed sponteneously NOT choreographed.]

DJ Ara said:

The people's appreciation of the excellent music oozes out through their "Sabor" and this contributes to the unique atmosphere.

One gets all of this special magic without the senseless mechanical spinning and the silly "manufactured" plastic smiles, nor people going into epileptic fits, sorry I meant performing (choreographed*) shines....LOL!

Matt, I hope that you make it to Cali next year, if you don't manage this December.


[*Shines should to be performed sponteneously NOT choreographed.]

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i hope to make one of the two
hard to say yet if i will manage to get there this year
i might end up in Puerto Rico or even Spain yet LOL yep im still as organized as ever

but if i am going there yourself and DJ El Chino will be among the first to know Im sure it will be an excellent year this year

La Feria de Cali is a MUST see for anyone who likes Salsa!

Great videos Dj Ara........ makes me wish I were there right now.

I love that they were jamming to "Isla del Encanto".

love that videos. liked the fact that younger people are part of it. also loved the way they play instruments as well.

also in Puerto Rico we see youngsters interest in Salsa as well, but not so evolved as watched in the videos...

thanks for sharing...

matty said:

i hope to make one of the two
hard to say yet if i will manage to get there this year
i might end up in Puerto Rico or even Spain yet LOL yep im still as organized as ever

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A little disorganization is a good thing.

Some Spanish cities have healthy salsa scenes, but of course, Puerto Rico will great if manage to make it there. It will give you great scope as regards your journey into the salsa world, specially since you have been to Cuba and to Cali twice.

matty said:

but if i am going there yourself and DJ El Chino will be among the first to know Im sure it will be an excellent year this year

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Yep. When you think that the Feria can't get any better, it surprises you in the following year.....LOL!

matty said:

La Feria de Cali is a MUST see for anyone who likes Salsa!

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No arguments from me there.

Mr.Afinque said:

Great videos Dj Ara........ makes me wish I were there right now.

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Something about the Sabor in such videos that make me watch them again and again. Who knows, maybe one day soon you will be here to enjoy such an evening here in Cali, as we already have had one salsa forums member here last month and another coming in December .

Abayarde said:

love that videos. liked the fact that younger people are part of it. also loved the way they play instruments as well.

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The fanatisicm here is a holystic one, as in, it goes further than the just the dance, techniques, etc. Its focus is generally the music, or at least the music will play an equal part. The focus on the music produces Salseros with an ear for good music and eventually a few of them like to manifest this by playing one instrument or another.

The modern marketing (fantasy) concept of what is new is good and what is old is bad or out of date, has not infiltrated Cali so much, at least not as far as the music is concerned.

Abayarde said:

also in Puerto Rico we see youngsters interest in Salsa as well, but not so evolved as watched in the videos...

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I am glad to hear about the youngsters' interest in salsa in PR. I believe that it should be nurtured by the older generations, so that the younger generations are made to fill proud of the musical heritage as regards salsa, of PR. Of course, nowadays this is not an easy task, but I am sure that attempts can be made, if they are not being already made, to turn the new generation on to salsa more.

Here in Cali, you have at least half a dozen radio stations whose music consists mainly of salsa. One station, La Zeta, plays 24 hours of salsa, with special programs that play some great music.

There are collectors' (melomanos) associations and magazines, as well as more salsa clubs than you can shake stick at, these include the 100% salsa clubs and the "cross over" discotecs where the music is mixed but in most of them, the focus is still salsa. There are also day time clubs where families go to dance and/or swim in special open air venues with swimming pools.

The above is just some of the salsa "infrustructure" that help maintain the salsero culture strong here in Cali. I believe that they are good blueprint for other salsa countries/cities to follow.

By the way, the young salseros in Cali have undying admiration for Puerto Rican salsa and that includes this city's musicians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1AgwgK7EO4&feature=related

The excellent Cali based orchestra: Proyecto K-Libre playing "Me Queda un Guaguanco", the Roberto y su Nueveo Montuno classic, originally sung by the Puerto Rican sonero Papo Cocote.

Abayarde said:

thanks for sharing...

Click to expand...

My pleasure.

DJ Ara said:

The fanatisicm here is a holystic one, as in, it goes further than the just the dance, techniques, etc. Its focus is generally the music, or at least the music will play an equal part. The focus on the music produces Salseros with an ear for good music and eventually a few of them like to manifest this by playing one instrument or another.

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The fact that the focus seems to be about the music is what I love about those videos. When I think of Salsa , dancing is not even in my mind. Its only a by product of the great music.

It really is wonderful to see the enthusiasm in these young people. It only further cements my belief that Salsa music will never die.

DJ Ara said:

The modern marketing (fantasy) concept of what is new is good and what is old is bad or out of date, has not infiltrated Cali so much, at least not as far as the music is concerned.

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that is one of the things about the musical culture in Cali that really struck me
and it even sets Cali apart from many other places in Latin America

to be honest the first time i went to Cali i suspected its reputation maybe part myth and was expecting to find that most young people were probably happy enough to listen to regaeton all night


really not the case in Cali

In nightclubs like "palo de mango" which are attended by regular young Caleños aged 19 or 20, they are dancing to music of Richie Rey, Eddie Palmieri among never stuff, in the typical setting of a modern nightclub. in this environment the music sounds as fresh and cool as ever.


on talking to some Cali teenagers one day I was asking them if they knew some of the newer orquestas and they responded by saying to me
"yes, but the older stuff is the best"
and set me straight by recommending a few of their favorite songs from Hector Lavoe LOL

Mr.Afinque said:

The fact that the focus seems to be about the music is what I love about those videos. When I think of Salsa , dancing is not even in my mind. Its only a by product of the great music.

It really is wonderful to see the enthusiasm in these young people. It only further cements my belief that Salsa music will never die.

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Amen to that, my friend.

If we had more people with that attitude in the International Salsa Scene, then the dancing would be more of a by-product of the music (and its true appreciation), rather than the music being just a background accessory.

With true musical appreciation we would have thousands of real salsa dancers manifesting the melodies and rhythms, rather than just technically going "through the motions".

matty said:

that is one of the things about the musical culture in Cali that really struck me
and it even sets Cali apart from many other places in Latin America

to be honest the first time i went to Cali i suspected its reputation maybe part myth and was expecting to find that most young people were probably happy enough to listen to regaeton all night


really not the case in Cali

In nightclubs like "palo de mango" which are attended by regular young Caleños aged 19 or 20, they are dancing to music of Richie Rey, Eddie Palmieri among never stuff, in the typical setting of a modern nightclub. in this environment the music sounds as fresh and cool as ever.


on talking to some Cali teenagers one day I was asking them if they knew some of the newer orquestas and they responded by saying to me
"yes, but the older stuff is the best"
and set me straight by recommending a few of their favorite songs from Hector Lavoe LOL

Click to expand...

In short, when you ask someone, say in Europe, wether they like salsa, they think about the dancing aspect, while when you ask someone in Cali (P.R., Venezuela, etc,) wether they like salsa, they think of salsa as music first.

Considering the fact that dancing depends on music, and not the other way round, then the second group above has the correct attitude and will always be better dancers than the first group.

DJ Ara said:

In short, when you ask someone, say in Europe, wether they like salsa, they think about the dancing aspect, while when you ask someone in Cali (P.R., Venezuela, etc,) wether they like salsa, they think of salsa as music first.

Considering the fact that dancing depends on music, and not the other way round, then the second group above has the correct attitude and will always be better dancers than the first group.

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yep thats true. Most of the people dance and drink water or cola. In the youtube channel from chino is also a video from palais x-tra in zürich where I live. It's a big diffrent to the party in cali. But with the right people you have always a good night....

Latinmusik said:

yep thats true. Most of the people dance and drink water or cola. In the youtube channel from chino is also a video from palais x-tra in zürich where I live. It's a big diffrent to the party in cali. But with the right people you have always a good night....

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Very true!!

Just in for those who are interested, images and music from the latest Salsa Inferno party - No.10, where yours truly also participated as DJ, as well as having a great time dancing while the other excellent DJs played their great salsa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-SHa9F2ulI&feature=youtu.be


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