What would it take for salsa to have a revival?

[DJ Yuca]

It has an impact, sure: it lead on YT within two days to 5 million views of Bad Bunny's salsa "Baile inolvidable" - I guess many of this rapper's fans will not have listened till the end of the song, but if only 20% do that makes already a million. That will not cause a revival, but anyway some folks may find they like it. I find the second half of the song really beautiful:

Finally listened to it and watched the vid. (By switching on my laptop and connecting it to speakers, rather than going out.)

My opinion (albeit based on just 1 listen): it sounds like a good salsa band had a recording session and the singer failed to turn up, so they just grabbed someone off the street. Who unfortunately had had a few drinks, and had never sung salsa before. But to be fair he gave it his best shot.

Being old school I may or may not enjoy a music video, but it sure as hell doesn't influence my opinion of the music. So for what it's worth, I thought the video was entertaining, although I wouldn't recommend kicking an observer in the nose whilst dancing.

I think this song has gone massive because B Bunny has dedicated fans who like anything he does. If he'd started off his career with tracks like this, I very much doubt his present fans would have become obsessed with him, and I very much doubt that those fans are going to start to listen to quality salsa from the past or present. Although I'll be happy if I'm proved wrong re. the latter.

Do I want to listen to this tune again and/or dance to it? Not particularly. From a DJ's perspective: if it helps an audience relate to salsa I would play it, but not for an audience full of salsa music lovers or hardcore dancers. If I were going to play it it would be early on in the night, so I could then focus on better stuff.

 

[MamboJazz]

Agree with your overall impression.

I thought the video was entertaining, although I wouldn't recommend kicking an observer in the nose whilst dancing.

I don't understand this scene either. Maybe it's for creating a battle atmosphere to make it more interesting for male youngsters. Also right before that scene the same guy leads a headroll which is very uncommon in salsa (Terry and Panagiotis do it sometimes, but probably nobody else).

But I think it was a good decision to show a beginner's salsa class instead of the usual pros dancing to it. Also a clever move to show the main role first in beginner's hell and then overcoming it. So if anybody feels like starting salsa dancing they at least are warned it's not too easy and you need to accept a challenge - likewise they were presented like warriors standing in a line in the first scene.

 

[MamboJazz]

20 years ago a lot of salsa artists would get reggaeton vocalists to collaborate on tracks. Andy Montañez did it to a higher and more successful level than others with his version of the Adalberto Álvarez tune. I can't recall any other salsa tracks with guest reggaetoneros becoming successful. Likewise I can't imagine Bad Bunny or any other reggaeton artists will be producing more successful salsa songs.

Time will tell.

I found out only today that Andy Montañez was singer in the Gran Combo de PR in the 70s, and also on the song "Un verano en Nueva York" - this old tune (20 seconds in original) opens the Bad Bunny album before the song moves into - Dembow. There are lot of strange mixtures on the album, it's both ugly and beautiful. One art theory says it's at this frontier where art emerges. Only time can tell.

 

[Gaviota]

There are lot of strange mixtures on the album, it's both ugly and beautiful. One art theory says it's at this frontier where art emerges. Only time can tell.

Along those lines, I'm enjoying Weltita, quite a few salsa elements in it. The starting bass line is a partial cáscara, there's a conga tumbao. Towards the end there's a son bass. Despite all that it marches evenly enough I'd rather dance bachata to it...

 

[Governor Moonbeam]

I found out only today that Andy Montañez was singer in the Gran Combo de PR in the 70s, and also on the song "Un verano en Nueva York" - this old tune (20 seconds in original) opens the Bad Bunny album before the song moves into - Dembow. There are lot of strange mixtures on the album, it's both ugly and beautiful. One art theory says it's at this frontier where art emerges. Only time can tell.

Here he is again covering his own tune w/ reggaetonera Ivy Queen:

 

[TokyoDancerDoll]

I just wanna jump in to say that a 21 year old lovely girl who just joined my salsa school here in Japan said that Bad Bunny’s new album is part of the thing that inspired her, and that made me super happy!

 

[markkuss]

The article is not about history of salsa. It is about today’s Latin music/musicians no longer needing English language songs to be recognized or make a chart topper. Salsa song/s from the particular album is an example as something that didn’t had to be anglicized, while the musician is not shying from dipping into his heritage or creating for Latin audience only. It is about how the music that is popular with Latin American audience is going mainstream.

You're right
I still thinking that some historical context sentences are needed. Even a few.

 

[markkuss]

I just wanna jump in to say that a 21 year old lovely girl who just joined my salsa school here in Japan said that Bad Bunny’s new album is part of the thing that inspired her, and that made me super happy!

That's great! I'm going every year to Japan. Where is your school based?

 

[TokyoDancerDoll]

That's great! I'm going every year to Japan. Where is your school based?

I realized my wording was kinda weird, not MY school exactly, but the one I take lessons from. They use a studio in Ebisu Tokyo, and they have a social there once a month. I love it!

 

[MamboJazz]

I just wanna jump in to say that a 21 year old lovely girl who just joined my salsa school here in Japan said that Bad Bunny’s new album is part of the thing that inspired her, and that made me super happy!

Btw, I posted a video from Misaki doing a choreo to one of his songs (Videos -> Various Performances): she's from Tokyo. I know it’s not a small town but maybe you know her?

 

[eclo]

Bad Bunny - Some observations from deep in SBK no one cares about salsa land dance scene. This song is played and people recognise it and like it. Whether it gets any of the bachata crowd who can't dance salsa to dance salsa, time will tell. Last time it was played I saw a few couples leave the dancefloor after the salsa bit kicked in as I think they thought from the mumbly intro bit it was gonna go bachata or urban kiz
I'm not a fan of his style of singing but this track is a billion times better than your average sensual bachata Latin pop stuff that has dominated the last few years. It's a tiny, miniscule sliver of hope but it's there.

 

[MamboJazz]

Last time it was played I saw a few couples leave the dancefloor after the salsa bit kicked in as I think they thought from the mumbly intro bit it was gonna go bachata or urban kiz

Salsa songs with such a long singer intro are indeed so rare that SBK people will assume it's not gonna go salsa (Marc Anthony's "Contra La Corriente" is the only other one which comes to my mind). Most Salsa DJs will cut it out, although I started loving the part where the trumpetes start playing. Salsa dancers may be confused what to do then, as they were taught to go full-speed all the time. Bachateros are used to Intros, but I can imagine their faces when the salsa sets in

 

[TokyoDancerDoll]

Btw, I posted a video from Misaki doing a choreo to one of his songs (Videos -> Various Performances): she's from Tokyo. I know it’s not a small town but maybe you know her?

Yeah, she’s wonderful! She’s like the shine dancing queen of Tokyo. I’ve only been able to try one of her lessons so far, but I want to join more in the future

 

[Groove On]

Salsa songs with such a long singer intro are indeed so rare that SBK people will assume it's not gonna go salsa

Ha ha, I don't know about that. A lot of my Salsa tracks have a start cue set a full 1 minute in from the beginning (where the "dance" part starts). If the crowd is hardcore salseros or native latinos, I gotta play the whole track, but for regular crowds, I start the track at the "dance" part. Plus it shortens the runtime to 3-4 minutes.

Here's an example I just bought today. I've got a start cue around the 10 second and also near the 1 minute mark, so I can adjust for the crowd & energy on the dance floor.

Vencere by Ismael Miranda & Larry Harlow

 

[MamboJazz]

Here's an example I just bought today. I've got a start cue around the 10 second and also near the 1 minute mark, so I can adjust for the crowd & energy on the dance floor.

Vencere by Ismael Miranda & Larry Harlow

We are not talking about the same. Your example is clearly salsa right from the start, no doubt about it. Now listen to "Baile Inolvidable" - no indication the first half minute which music it is going to be.

 

[Groove On]

We are not talking about the same. Your example is clearly salsa right from the start, no doubt about it. Now listen to "Baile Inolvidable" - no indication the first half minute which music it is going to be.

Not only does it NOT indicate which music it will be, it does, what I consider heresy for dance tracks. It's only a 3 minute song, so by the time the intro is finished, there's only 2 minutes left for dancing. Ugh!!!!!! It's a pet peeve of mine with many of the modern popular Bachata songs.

Thankfully, I was able to remix/loop Baile Involvidable so that the dancers get a good 3 minutes out of it.

 

[MamboJazz]

Not only does it NOT indicate which music it will be, it does, what I consider heresy for dance tracks. It's only a 3 minute song, so by the time the intro is finished, there's only 2 minutes left for dancing.

Actually no, it's a 6:20 min song, after the long intro there is still 5 min left for dancing. Maybe you think of "La Mudanza" which is a 3:40 min song with 3 min left after the intro - way too long for tictoc postings.

 

[MamboJazz]

Along those lines, I'm enjoying Weltita, quite a few salsa elements in it. The starting bass line is a partial cáscara, there's a conga tumbao. Towards the end there's a son bass. Despite all that it marches evenly enough I'd rather dance bachata to it...

After a month listening to Bad Bunny'a album I can say I enjoy many of the beautiful parts. The album in general has a very melancholic mood, the opener video the same as some of the lyrics are about US gentrification of Puerto Rico. As he's trying to turn back to the roots he digs in all those musical traditions of PR, hoping to help to save them.

I enjoy a lot "Turista" from his album, a beautiful bolero. The now released video shows backpackers leaving a rented appartment in a party mess. The lyrics can be understood both privately or politically towards Puerto Rico: "You were just a tourist in my life, you only saw the best of me and not how I was suffering." I know many latinos can relate to this feelings, and that's why the album resonates so strong in latin america.

If you don't like Bad Bunny's voice you may prefer some of the emerging covers you find in the net or this guitar example below. Sure this song will have some nice covers (I imagine Shakira for example).

 

[MamboJazz]

The video is out now for his song - it shows beginner's hell in salsa dance lessons
Not sure if it attracts people to salsa dance, but it has somehow more charm than choreographed pro dancing.

100 million views by now - who would have thought a salsa dance lesson video gets 100 million views in ten weeks!

 

[Offbeat]

100 million views by now - who would have thought a salsa dance lesson video gets 100 million views in ten weeks!

That’s the official song video? The song must be very popular.

A lot of people use YouTube to listen to a song rather than Spotify. A lot of people”views” are probably the single listeners. What video accompanies, doesn’t matter.