Salsa
A popular dance music genre that, although it originated in New York City, is the product of various Cuban musical genres including the Afro-Cuban son montuno, guaracha, cha cha chá, mambo, and Puerto Rican plena and bomba. Latin jazz (which was also developed in New York City) has had a significant influence on salsa arrangers, piano guajeos, and instrumental soloists.
Salsa is primarily Cuban son, itself a fusion of Spanish canción and guitar and Afro-Cuban percussion. All of these non-Cuban elements are grafted onto the basic Cuban son montuno template when performed within the context of salsa. Salsa is more danceable than Latin jazz, and that can help the listener distinguish the two genres.
Salsa means “sauce” in Spanish and carries connotations of the spiciness common in Latin and Caribbean cuisine. Salsa lyrics range from simple dance numbers and sentimental romantic songs to risqué and politically radical subject matter.
Salsa ensembles are typically based on one of two different Cuban instrument formats, either the horn-based conjunto or the string-based charanga. The traditional conjunto format consists of congas, bongos, bass, piano, tres (6-stringed instrument), a horn section, and the smaller hand-held percussion instruments: claves (wooden sticks), güíro (hollow gourd), or maracas played by the singers. The traditional charanga format consists of congas, timbales (shallow, single-headed drums), bass, piano, flute, and a string section of violins, viola, and cello. The most fundamental rhythmic element in salsa music is a pattern and concept known as clave. 1970– .