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Cheo Feliciano’s 1971 album titled Cheo  marked his much-welcomed return from drug rehabilitation.  The album's opening track soon became a classic in the salsa pantheon of standards: 'Anacaona'. The song has been described as the first major hit of the “salsa explosion” [1]. To this day, it remains a much-loved tune for dancers and listeners alike, with its appealing instrumentation, song structure, and alluring atmosphere — but all this is topped by the sublime sound of Cheo Feliciano’s vocals himself.  Cheo (Inca, 1971) - see jacket details at bottom However, the merits of 'Anacaona' are not limited to purely musical aspects. Also important are the lyrics composed by Puerto Rican songwriter Tite Curet Alonso that make the song exemplary as salsa consciente , or "conscientious salsa" [2], a style which defined several salsa songs of the 1970s. Some reflection at the present time on the story of 'Anacaona' might suggest that it is now more relevant with popular awareness than ever before — even after 50+ years.  The lyrics speak of a noble woman who was a music composer and would become chief of the Taínos , inhabitants of the island of Hispaniola, where the Dominican Republic is located today. She repudiated the newly arrived Spanish colonizers, was captured, enslaved, and killed. Her name was Anacaona.  The song remarks on her fight to protect her people and their culture. It also laments at her demise. In a show of conscious inclusivity, national or romantic sentiments are downplayed since the song composer, a Puerto Rican, chose as his subject an indigenous inhabitant of a Caribbean island other than his own [3]; thus, Anacaona is portrayed not only as a noble symbol of her peoples’ resistance and tragedy, but also the story and plight of indigenous peoples across the Caribbean. To point, her confrontation with the Spanish was a form repeated time and again between indigenous peoples and European colonizers across the Americas for the next few centuries.  The execution of Anacaona by Jodocus van Winghen, 1558. Image source: argia.eus It seems that for ages popular awareness was never broad enough to include much historical injustice,  especially the kind experienced by First Nations peoples. However, the topics of settler colonialism and related injustices are now on the rise within a swirling, global consciousness although they are downplayed or ignored by mainstream media; yet, the story of Anacaona is profoundly relevant today. This tribute by composer Tite Curet Alonso, who wrote several songs touching on socio-cultural issues (including one about Anacaona’s husband, Caonabó), is an invitation for more awareness-raising on the injustices of the past and present.  Such is the understanding one can gain from learning the context of certain musical pieces. Salsa songs are no exception; in fact, many are rich in context. References 1. Cesar Miguel Rondon. The Book of Salsa  (Chapel Hill: UNC Press, 2008), 202. 2. Andrés Espinoza Agurto. Salsa Consciente  (East Lansing: MSU Press, 2022), 149. 3. Agurto, Salsa Consciente , 150. Salsa In Context This blog post has been an exploration of Salsa in Context: the example of 'Anacaona', the first segment in a series which examines the background story of salsa songs. The aim is to raise awareness of the music that salsa dancers might be familiar with on the dance floor but in fact know little about due to language barriers. See all posts tagged "salsa in context" . PRESENTATION Salsa in Context  will be presented at 2024 Taiwan Salsa Carnival  in Taipei, Nov 22-24. “Salsa in Context - An introduction to develop your appreciation of salsa music as a dancer and listener ”   by Angel Figueroa (Josai International University)  Location: NuZone Exhibition Center , 2F (Salsa Room) Date & Time: Sunday, Nov 24, 11:30-12:20 The 2024 Taiwan Salsa Carnival  is an international salsa event organized by Calvin Wang and hosted at a spacious venue in Taipei with several invited international instructors, performers, and DJs. Social dancing is provided for both salsa and bachata dancers. Get tickets here . FURTHER LISTENING The song “Anacaona” was included in Episode 41 of Encanto Tropical: Tite Curet Alonso Tribute , which featured many great songs by the Puerto Rican composer. Click on the image below to open the episode webpage for more information and to replay the show. — JACKET DETAILS First released in 1971 by Inca Records, the 1972 pressing by Vaya Records is the version pictured in this post. It is a gatefold edition with interesting details including a note by Curet Alonso. < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

PRE-SHOW POST In recent years, the term 'underground salsa' has been used to refer to salsa music that was (or is) not well-known to the general public. The wording can also imply in some cases difficult-to-find vintage material.  Among salsa insiders such as DJs and collectors, there is a pantheon of artists, musical groups, and individual songs which exist as 'underground' and are highly prized even when audio fidelity is sometimes far from ideal. Compare this with the popular and better audio quality of the same period, such as those from Fania Records, as well as the range of contemporary releases from the 1990s onwards. What explains the huge appeal of underground salsa? What is the context? Here is an idea. Evidently, commercial success escaped many salsa bands in their prime. But while it is easy to assume that unsatisfactory music quality, poor marketing, or failure to garner special appeal might explain a band’s downfall or lack of popularity, there is one critical point to take note of. Record labels had enormous influence for disseminating their music via radio stations. This was as true in New York as in major Latin American cities such as San Juan, Santo Domingo, Caracas, and Cali, among others. Simply put, not being affiliated with the dominant record labels of the mid-1960s and early 1970s -- such as Tico/Alegre and Fania -- meant little chance of recognition during the salsa boom, at least on a large scale.  The limits of technology, media distribution, and the constrains of the radio-station business model did not help. But soon this would change, as all three of these factors would radically transform. For Episode 48, we tap into some reserves of marginalized and rediscovered salsa bands from the 1960s and 1970s for a loosely defined 'underground 'session. One idea is that both the influence of the Internet and the desire to discover new sounds and lyrics led to a recognition of many of the marginalized orchestras of the 1960s and 1970s. [1] Mingled with these two points was perhaps even a conscious rejection of the Fania Records universe — a term applied to its immense catalog which, by the 1980s, included most other US salsa labels through a process of acquisition. This catalog was already well-known (and in many cases deservedly acclaimed) in the popular psyche of salsa aficionados. However, it was then promoted anew when the era of salsa romantica started losing its appeal. Although the time seemed opportune for a commercial push to revive interest in the so-called golden age of salsa, commercial expectations were not met. The revival around the late 1990s and early 2000s was short-lived at best, due to some reluctance in blindly embracing the old standard. Instead, an emerging interest in alternative sounds from the 1960s and 1970s seems to have emerged. Crucially, the internet would soon grow in use and accessibility, and horizons broadened in tandem with the diminishing influence of record labels, physical media, and radio. The end result was a popular (re)discovery of the sound of those once-marginalized salsa bands. Critical to this push was the rise of salsa dancing and the resulting pressure (or incentive) on DJs to be unique. Rarity became a key variable in a DJ’s song selection and hence their appeal.  However, this is a general perspective probably limited to the salsa aficionado from outside Colombia, Venezuela, and their neighbouring countries, where a strong awareness of salsa culture and history was in place, meaning that artists would not get 'rediscovered'. Rather, there was a seemingly sharp and consistent knowledge of the local salsa music scene among local enthusiasts and collectors alike. In fact, this point is worth mentioning as perhaps playing a the key role in the awareness-raising among fellow enthusiasts from outside the region -- who began making their 'discoveries'. What kicked this off was the growth of the internet and social media (for example, Facebook and YouTube) in facilitating connections and knowledge sharing. One can argue that the interest in discovering vintage salsa as an alternative sound was a positive leap forward in the global salsa community. Suddenly there was a massive amount of salsa songs that many people had not been aware of, and this afforded a great diversity of sound -- not to mention sparks of exclusivity -- in the deejaying or dancing experience, from North America to Europe and to Asia.  Some albums on Encanto Tropical 48 Underground salsa is a rabbit hole, for certain, and I have only touched the surface. No doubt there are different levels in this underground, but I shall go no further and just keep a simple approach. This means a playlist made of vintage songs that are outside the Fania universe and which came to my knowledge from about the mid 2000s to this day. See the broadcast information at the bottom of this page. Tune in on January 9th! References Mendevil, Ricardo (n.d.), Underground Salsa . Retrieved January 1, 2025: https://ricardomendivil.com/underground-salsa/ < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

AFTER-SHOW POST | PRE-SHOW POST The "2024 Songlist" features 25 tracks (2:00:24). Replay at the bottom of this page. It was great fun compiling and programming the songs for this last episode of 2024, where I looked back on the year to select my favourite twenty-five songs of the year. It was not an easy task trimming my initial shortlist to just 25 items, however. There were several outtakes that I would love to share as well. All 25 songs are pooled from a Spotify playlist co-curated with DJ Rem of France, and most were included in the monthly top-10 charts of the year. The list, Contemporary Salsa (2024 Releases) , contains more than 650 songs. ARTISTS The following artists were featured, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to all of them for their amazing songs. If you are not familiar with them, do check them out. Boyacá Calle Vapor Carlos Pérez y Su Orquesta DJ Isaia "El Profeta" DJ Mirco, Merlino DJ & DJ Pepe El Rumbero EL Equipo Del Norte El Santos El Vikingo de la Salsa Felipe Debrand Ivan Venot feat. DJ Pepe El Rumbero Johnny Ray Salsa Con Clase La Maxima 79 & DJ Fabrizio Zoro Lios Choko Luis Blasini Y Iroko La Banda Manny Martinez Papo Medina Radio Bembe Orquesta Robertito Hernandez feat. Maximo Rivera Son Con Ron Son Horizonte Spanish Harlem Orchestra Take Two Bros (El Timba y Roberto Sabroso) Willie Panamá Yemaya La Banda The 25 songs are played in a random order on the show to best suit the programming of tracks. I was not interested in ranking them. Full attribution of artist and track is provided on the show and below. Featured on Encanto Tropical 47 Best SALSA Songs of 2024 (The Encanto Tropical Songlist) Below are the songs featured on the show -- my so-called best salsa songs of 2024! See the important note about choices further down. The songs are listed in alphabetical order. CHOICES Let's be clear, the song selection is certainly more of a 'personal favourites'-list rather than an authoritative "best salsa" list. These songs are basically what I found myself playing on repeat either while deejaying or while commuting to work! See the pre-show post for details about criteria. CHARTS To see the monthly salsa charts (commencing from January 2023) see the Charts  page. Click on image to see the 2023-24 Charts OTHER YEARS Check out other "Best Salsa" lists by Encanto Tropical: Best Salsa of 2000 Best Salsa of 2022 Best Salsa of 2023 FINAL NOTES 2024 has been a wild year, with lots of distressing news, and as the new year approaches, there is a some trepidation for how certain events may unfold. Well, at least we have music -- and salsa is where it's at... It was a good year for salsa. REPLAY EPISODE 47 < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

The monthly chart for September 2024 recognizes another selection of ten new additions to the growing universe of contemporary salsa songs. This is, of course, a subjective selection. As usual, narrowing it down to just ten songs was not an easy task. As in past charts for the radio show Encanto Tropical (on World Salsa Radio ), there were several outtakes which made it a gut wrenching process! Here are my choices for the best salsa songs for September 2024 on Encanto Tropical. The chart is especially packed with great tunes when compared to previous months. Notably, it's a balance between European artists and those from the Americas. Italy's La Maxima 79 takes the pole position with its banging track "Yo Traigo Salsa" from their latest album, X. The second and third positions are nods to fantastic dance tunes by new material from Spanish Harlem Orchestra , directed by Oscar Hernandez with "Bailador" and Manny Martinez from the San Francisco Bay Area with "Los Buenos Son Más". His latest album, In the Zone, is a masterpiece -- three of its tracks have appeared on my charts. Boyacá is a new band for me, but their entry on the list, "Dame de Eso", is certainly noteworthy. Roniel Alfonso and Willy Garcia team up for a fantastic production in "Esa Mujer A Mi Me Gusta" to finish the top five. Then comes prolific Swedish songwriter and musician, Thomas de Paula Eby , with yet another fantastic tune marking this year, with "Son Lindas". The final four tunes I regard as essential DJ material to diversify a set. These are Maylo Martinez 's well-produced romantica, "Primera Cita"; Havana Caliente 's "Otro" with great Cuban vibes; another lively and punchy Cuban tune by Mario Crespo Martinez , "Baby Llamame", and another superb instrumental, "Ida y Vuelta", by trombonist and songwriter El Vikingo de la Salsa with pianist Marco Puma . For other "Top-10" lists, see the Charts page in the Radio section . Source Songs are chosen from the Contemporary Salsa - 2024 playlist that I curate with my colleague, DJ Rem in France, on Spotify. Hats off to him for his work in finding great new music, some of which end up on my charts. The Selection Process The criteria for selection includes danceability, originality, instrumental aspects, lyrical meaning, whether there is a certain 'punch' and, of course, personal appeal. Charts are not intended to be authoritative -- this is definitely a subjective area. Three other important points deserve explaining. First, an emission of a track can be due simply to my lack of awareness -- while I try to keep up-to-date with new releases, my schedule is busy, and my day job leaves me with limited time to dedicate myself to this labour of love; so naturally, I can easily miss a song that -- all things being equal -- should have got on a list. Second, I make my selections for myself; I am not one to copy what others are choosing. Third, among my criteria for selecting tracks is that a track must have been released within the last four months. Having said all that, I am welcome to feedback and suggestions, so contact me and let's discuss! Encanto Tropical on Spotify Just recently I made a new playlist comprising only of Encanto Tropical chart selections in 2024 -- that is ten songs a month, so with September 2024, the total now comes to ninety songs. Check it out by clicking on the image below! For Encanto Tropical's top salsa picks of the year see the 2024 Songlist blog post . < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

AFTER-SHOW POST | PRE-SHOW POST 日本語は下記に続く Ready for replay is Episode 16 -- see the link at bottom of this page (23 tracks, 2hr 1min). Episode 16 deviates from the usual program structure (with four spotlights) and instead focuses on the theme of Latin music in Japan -- on the playlist are several songs by Japanese artists from past episodes of Encanto Tropical as well as a few I have not played before. This includes songs by foreign artists based in Japan. As a resident of Japan for more than twenty years, it has been interesting to follow the local Latin music scene and collect music, both rare and popular, which I am happy to share with listeners. The aim of this special feature is to give exposure to Japanese artists who are generally unknown internationally. There is certainly a lot of material to choose from, and my selection in no way is intended to be authoritative. In fact, I think it is important to attempt at least one more feature (Part 2) to cover several artists and bands not included in this episode (due to the time restriction). Stay tuned. Encanto Tropical 16: Focus on Japan Some of the music on Encanto Tropical 16 リプレイのリンクはこのページの下部にあります (23 曲、2 時間 1 分) 第16話は、いつもの番組構成（4つのスポットライト）とは一味違った番組をお届けしました。日本人アーティストによるラテン音楽をテーマにしています。 プレイリストには、過去のエンカント・トロピカルのエピソードから、日本のアーティストの曲や、私が今まで聴いたことのない曲が 数曲 導入されています。また、日本を拠点に活躍する海外アーティストの楽曲も含まれています。 20年以上日本に住んでいる私は、現地のラテン音楽シーンを追いかけ、レアなものからポピュラーなものまで、リスナーに喜んで聴いてもらえるような音楽を集めることができたのは、とても興味深いことでした。 この特集は、国際的に知られるのは これからという、隠れた才能を持つ日本のアーティストに触れてもらうことを目的としています。 確かに他にも選択できる資料はたくさんありますが、今回、私の選んだものは、決して権威付けを意図したものではありません。むしろ、今回取り上げられなかったアーティストやバンドを、少なくとももう1回（part 2）で 取り上げることが重要だと考えています（時間的制約のため）ご期待くださいね。 Featured ARTiSTs & BANDS (in alphabetical order) Links included where available Aya Nakano y Central Ayumi "Azucar" Suzuki Alisa Sunaga Banderas Central Chica Boom Chuo Bomba Niconital Conjunto Mamborama Ex Corde Eto Karamushi & Orquesta Copa Salvo Ken Morimura Luis Valle & QBAmigos Orquesta Copa Salvo Orquesta de La Luz Orquesta del Sol Manny Mendez Salsa Swingoza Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra Yoshiro Hiroishi Replay Episode 16 < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

PRE-SHOW POST | AFTER-SHOW POST Coming up on Encanto Tropical (Episode 16)... Latin Japan in focus! Every episode of Encanto Tropical features 3 samples of Latin music by Japanese artists. Their inclusion in the program is due to my desire to give exposure to Japanese artists who are generally unknown internationally. As a resident of Japan, it has been interesting to follow the Latin music scene and collect music that I am happy to share with listeners. In Episode 16, we will deviate from the usual structure of the program and review several songs by Japanese artists that have been covered so far on Encanto Tropical, plus some new ones. This includes foreign artists based in Japan. Some of the music on Encanto Tropical 16 Note The episode featuring Bongohead as guest, which was originally scheduled for Episode 16, has been rescheduled for Episode 17. Tune into World Salsa Radio for Episode 16 of Encanto Tropical with Japanese Latin music on November 24th! < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

I recently posted about music which caught my attention in 2021 -- regardless of release year -- featuring 570 songs across several genres in 18 lists, and among them I featured new releases in salsa. ​Details regarding selection are explained in the project description . The results were divided into four charts corresponding to Early , Spring , Summer , and Late 2021 . The focus was certainly salsa, with 8 dedicated playlists. Each image below links to a playlist on my Spotify profile . Since posting about those charts (well into 2022), I have continued to add tracks to some of the playlists. What especially interests me is expanding the list of 2021 new releases. As a result, this playlist has grown from 50 to 80 tracks. More will be added as I discover songs that I initially missed. A preview of this playlist is available below. Enjoy!

Replay Episode 30 using the link at the bottom of this page (25 songs, 2:06:08). The last Encanto Tropical of 2023 is a selection of salsa tunes that best represents the year for me, with my choice of tracks selected from DJ Rem's Spotify playlist Contemporary Salsa (2023 Releases) , which I also contributed to, and totals over 500 songs. It was not easy selecting 25 tracks from such a colossal number, but I managed to include a range of artists, both well-known and lesser-known ones. These tracks resonate with me and I believe deserve some recognition; however, I emphasize that my selection is merely personal and not intended as authoritative. Some of the artists included in Episode 30 The 25 songs are played in random order on the show which best suit the programming of tracks. Full attribution for the artist and track title is given before and after each song. Below is my ranking of the tracks, with composers indicated in parentheses. It is from our Spotify playlist that I select my 10 monthly “Picks” for Encanto Tropical. Choices for any given month are limited only to tracks that have been released within four months prior. To see other salsa charts (commencing from January 2023) see the Charts  page. Click on image to see the 2023 Charts UPDATE With so many good songs in 2023, I decided to do a Part 2 of my favourites of the year. It features several outtakes from the playlist of Episode 30. Check out Best Salsa of 2023 - Part 2 (Episode 31) . OTHER YEARS Check out other "Best Salsa" lists by Encanto Tropical: Best Salsa of 2024 Best Salsa of 2022 Best Salsa of 2000 REPLAY EPISODE 30 < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

And now the monthly spotlight of 10 salsa songs on Encanto Tropical. Here is February 2024. In the top position is a salsa version of 'Entre dos aguas' from Paco de Lucía, interpreted by Son Con Ron , a Germany-based band formed around the brothers Anichi and Pablo Perez. Naturally, strings serve as the key motif and are played by Anichi Perez, who can deliver on both the acoustic guitar and Cuban tres . Their album"Flor", released two weeks ago, includes several previously-released material -- among them the title track from 2022 that quickly became popular among listeners and DJs alike. A simply great album, my hunch is that 'Entre dos aguas' becomes yet another anthem of theirs. Click to listen to the album on Spotify The other tracks in the top five include two with Cuban flavour: 'Pero Tu' by the Italy-based trio of El Timba/Roberto Sabroso/El Bandera as well as 'Son de Verdad' by Juan Karlos and Sangre Nueva , from California USA. Colombian salsa dura make up the other two songs, with strong brass sections and notable piano in 'No Juega Mas' by Benedict & The Magic Band and 'Malalo' by Orquesta 220 . Among the remaining tracks are two romantica by Jose Ricardo Salsa ('Y Amarte Mas'), from Colombia and Hector Olmo ('Si a veces hablo de ti') from Puerto Rico. Also representing Puerto Rico are two other bands: Julio Albino y su Orq. Secreto a Voces , with the upbeat 'Paila de Guarachero' and Don Perignon & La Puertorriqueña 's mid-tempo 'La Clave Me Lleva'. Closing the list is a nod to the slightly poppy but catchy tune 'Bochinchero' by Motiff and Tito Nieves . All monthly charts are sourced from the Spotify playlist below (curated by DJ Rem and me). Click on image to open Spotify This page highlights Encanto Tropical's picks for the best salsa of February 2024. For other salsa charts (commencing from January 2023), see the Charts page. For Encanto Tropical's top salsa picks of the year see the 2024 Songlist blog post . Videos Subscribe to get notified of future charts < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

Encanto Tropical’s salsa picks for November 2024 were recently posted on the charts page . Topping the November 2024 selection is a track from Gilberto Santa Rosa ’s latest album, Debut Y Segunda Tanta Vol 2 , which is further proof of his prolific artistry as vocalist and musical director. There are several great tracks in the album, but my choice is “Como si fuera nuestra” composed by Jose Orlando Mosqueda and Luis Marin.  The second spot goes to Willie Panamá from the Bibomusic label with a powerful interpretation of “Afinque Pa Los Rumblers” composed by Juan Antonio Ruiz Aguilar. A singer and actor, Willie Panamá was born in Panama but has lived in both New York and Florida. This track is part of a larger project to highlight some of the best composers from Panama under the direction of arranger Raul Gillmore in album called Los Cantantes del Solar – Reunión de Gigantes . In third comes Thorben Christian Schütt, known as ' El Vikingo de la Salsa ', with his song “Ven a Gozar”. The German trombone player and songwriter has been releasing a new song on a monthly basis recently, and almost all have been included in Encanto Tropical’s top-10 list. There is serious talent going on here. Ten 'best' salsa songs for November 2024 have been added to Encanto Tropical “Monthly Picks - Salsa 2024” on Spotify. They correlate to track numbers 101 to 110. (Songs from previous months are listed as 1 to 100). Click on the image below to listen and like for easy access! Rounding up the top five are songs by Gia Fu (“Lotus”) and Manny Martinez (“Ol’ Skull/Vieja Escuela”). Both have very original touches. The Hong Kong native DJ and producer Gia Fu includes an unmistakeable Chinese musical element in her song, while Manny Martinez includes some rap and clever wordplay from his stellar album In the Zone . (Note: mentioned in the list is the 'DJ Angel remix' of the song by Gia Fu, but this is so far unavailable in the public domain). Songs ranked 6 to 10 are noteworthy for different reasons, but they share in common great danceability and catchy appeal. Johnny Vega and La Orquesta Muralla ’s “Mujer Puertoriqueña” is a punchy release from the Canadian label Hyperopia Records . Kim De Los Santos ’ “De Pesos a Carisias”, a romantica , has great melody with a certain edge to it. La Maxima 79 reappears on this monthly list with another fine salsa brava “in Papa el Guaguanco” from their latest album X. The single “Llámala” by Carlos Garcia is a fine choppy tune co-sung with Charlie Aponte, former lead singer of El Gran Combo making it a wonderful duo. Colombian singer Maía finishes off the list with “La Vida” and her trademark voice rendering beautiful lyrics in an infectious catchy tune backed by great instrumentation. Follow on Spotify to listen to all the songs which have been compiled for Encanto Tropical’s picks in 2024. For other monthly charts in 2023-2024, see the Encanto Tropical - Charts  page. For Encanto Tropical's top salsa picks of 2024 see the 2024 Songlist blog post . As a rule, songs are pulled from the Spotify playlist Contemporary Salsa: 2024 Releases jointly curated by DJs Rem and Angel Figueroa. Disclaimer The Encanto Tropical monthly picks are not meant to be authoritative lists. They are, by nature, subjective selections based on personal appeal, with exposure to recently released songs come from both promotional material as well as researching digital platforms. Choices are limited to songs released in the last four months. Omissions may be due to a lack of awareness simply because it is near impossible to know about all recently released songs. Feedback is therefore welcome; if you think a noteworthy song was missed, please let me know . < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

PRE-SHOW POST | AFTER-SHOW POST The next show is the annual wrap-up of my preferred salsa tunes released during the year. The pool from which I chose tracks is a Spotify playlist curated by DJ Rem and me. We have been diligently updating it since January, and it now numbers more than 650 songs. Twenty-five The Encanto Tropical 2024 Songlist  will feature 25 songs. Unlike the 2023 list  -- but like the 2022 list  -- there is no ranking. This avoids the nonsense of announcing what the number one song is. Rather, I will play the 25 tracks in a way suitable for programming a two-hour show. An alphabetically-ordered list will be included in the after-show post . Sparks My search for notable material to spark the dance floor has some method to it. I gravitate towards fresh and unique sounds. They can come in the form of arrangement, solo instrumentation, or in the melody or rhythm sections. I also consider production quality, unique contexts, the composition, and the vocal interpretation of the lyrics. In the end, it's all about how a song simply resonates with me, which sometimes is not very quantifiable. Criteria The selection process cannot escape subjectivity, even when criteria has been set. Naturally, musical taste differs among people. This difference is to be embraced! Every songlist is to be taken with a grain of salt, then -- mine included. It should be fun and informative reading different opinions on the "best songs", so let's just be carefree and raise awareness for everyone's benefit. I look forward to discovering songs I overlooked when I read other lists. Featured albums on Encanto Tropical 47 Programming Several songs caught my attention in 2024 but, on a side note, there were not as many as in the year before. Nonetheless, it was not easy trimming the 2024 shortlist to just twenty-five favourite salsa songs. The fun part is in the programming -- how to place them sequentially in the show, from the opening track to the closing one. Interested in reading more? Check out the Blog Index to see all posts. Browse a list of selected, in-depth writings on the Featured Posts page. Subscribe  to get notified of blog updates. < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >

AFTER-SHOW POST | PRE-SHOW POST Episode 46 looked back at the year 2000 for some of the best salsa songs released as the 20th century came to a close. The replay is available at the bottom. (26 tracks, 2:03:42). The show, titled "Then the Millennium", was inspired by memories of all the concern caused by the Y2K bug exactly 25 years ago this month. Read more in the pre-show post . Artists The 26 songs in the playlist are by the artists below. Listen to the show for full attribution. Africando All Stars Alfredo de la Fé Bobby Valentin Celia Cruz Conjunto Azabache ¡Cubanismo! Don Adolfo and his Orquesta Organizacion Estrellas Caiman José Mangual Jr Mamborama Maraca Orquesta La Palabra Orquesta Tabaco y Ron Puentes Brothers Puerto Rican Power Quinto Mayor Ray Santiago And His Orquesta Rey Ruiz Ricardo Lemvo & La Makina Loca Saxomania Son Boricua Sonora Carruseles Tito Nieves Tito Puento & Eddie Palmieri Tony Vega Wayne Gorbea's Salsa Picante CHOICES The song selection is certainly more of a 'personal favourites'-list rather than an authoritative "best salsa" list. These are mostly songs I found myself playing on repeat as a budding salsa DJ -- most of them are danceable and have not aged. It was a fun, nostalgic trip digging through my old CDs to gather material for this project. Theme-BaseD Encanto Tropical shows are usually based on a given theme rather than a random set of songs pulled together. Making theme-based shows such as Episode 46 fosters my growth as a salsa DJ with a deeper appreciation of the music. I hope listeners can find meaning in this approach as well. Check the Archives for all Encanto Tropical theme-based episodes (with the hashtag "theme-based show"). OTHER YEARS Check out other "Best Salsa" lists by Encanto Tropical: Best Salsa of 2024 Best Salsa of 2023 Best Salsa of 2022 REPLAY < NEXT POST PREVIOUS POST >