Top 10 Colombian Salsa Albums

Colombian salsa is defined by its ability to add a unique touch to a synthesis of sounds and influences from all over the Caribbean and New York. From the romantic tenderness of Grupo Niche to the unique Timbao of Joe Arroyo to the folk seasoning of Grupo Guayacaán, Colombia’s salsa bands have produced some of the best albums in the history of Latin music. UK top salsa DJ, Lubi Jovanovic goes deep into the history of Colombian salsa, with a personal top 10, in chronological date order not in any ranking, and ommitting a few which he's added at the bottom. Que Viva La Salsa Colombiana!”

by DJ Lubi Jovanovic

1. Ayunando – Fruko y sus Tesos (Discos Fuentes 1973)

After visiting New York in 1968 and witnessing the explosive sound of Cuban music championed by Puerto Ricans (soon become known as “salsa”), the bassist/producer returned home and started the homegrown Colombian salsa scene. Ernesto “Fruko” Estrada became the godfather of Colombian salsa. This early LP has both New York Fania salsa influence on the title track as well Cuban son flavour on “Yo Soy El Punto Cubano”.

2. No Hay Quinto Malo – Grupo Niche (Zeida 1984)

Grupo Niche were formed by Jairo Varela and Alexis Lozano the (latter of Guayacan) in Bogotá in 1978 although they had been based in Cali since 1982. After a couple of early LPs that didn’t really make much impact, they broke through in 1984 in Colombia and the rest of the salsa world with this LP, “No Hay Quinto Malo”, and particularly with their homage to their home city Cali with the anthemic Cali Pachanguero, still a salsa classic today!

3. Triunfo – Grupo Niche (Zeida 1985)

After the success of No Hay Quinto Malo and Cali Pachanguero, Niche went to New York and recorded this LP showing they could still kick hard with tracks like Listo Medellinand Del Puente Pa’Alla. However, the stand-out track and hit from this LP is the salsa romantica Ana Mile, which starts very sensual but explodes into harder salsa in the montuno section! Classic Grupo Niche!

4. Mentiras – La Octava Dimension (Zeida 1986)

Another talented Cali band, La Octava Dimension, were formed in 1974 and played covers of the big Puerto Rican and New York salsa hits of the time. By the mid-1980s, they were firmly established in the Colombian salsa scene. Like Grupo Niche, they could play the full-on heavy salsa style loved by the Cali dancers but also play quality salsa romantica like this oneMentiras which was the big hit from this release.

5. Joe Arroyo y La Verdad – Musa Original (Discos Fuentes 1986)

Colombia’s greatest and best known salsa singer was born in Cartagena and first hit the scene in Fruko’s bands of the 1970s. In 1981 he went solo and, with his band La Verdad, forged his own identity as a singer by incorporating other styles into his sets alongside salsa and cumbia, including merengue, soca, kompa and son caribeno. He has always been proud of his and Colombia’s African heritage and roots as shown on his greatest salsa hit “La Rebellion” from this LP

6. Sucesos Salsa – The Latin Brothers (Discos Fuentes 1990)

The Latin Brothers were another project formed and produced by Fruko, starting in 1974 and still recording and touring today. They featured one of Colombia’s finest salsa vocalists Piper Pimienta Diaz, who also starred alongside Joe Arroyo and Fruko in the Colombia Allstars in the late 1970s. Here is one of the hit tracks from this LP featuring Piper on lead vocal.

7.Que Viva La Salsa – Grupo Raices (RMM 1995)

Great salsa band from Barranquila featuring fantastic singer Charly Gomez. Yet again, another Colombian salsa who would play quality salsa brava and romantic equally well. The title track from this CD is a homage to Colombia’s favourite Puerto Rican/New York salsa artists who get name checked in the song....Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz, Ray Barretto, Sonora Poncena, Celia Cruz, Ismael Rivera and Tito Puente!

8. Heavy Salsa – Sonora Carruseles (Discos Fuentes 1998)

Colombia’s love for salsa dura (hard salsa) never disappeared in the salsa romantica years and in 1995 one young band exploded onto the world scene championing salsa dura and boogaloo. Sonora Carruseles’s 2nd CD “Heavy Salsa” was the soundtrack of 1998-99 in salsa clubs across the globe, in particular their re-working of Pete Rodriguez’s 1960s classic boogaloo “Micaela”.

9. Salsa Magic – Los Titanes (Discos Fuentes 2001)

Formed in Barranquila in 1982 by master trombonist/arranger/producer Alberto Barros, Los Titanes soon established themselves as one of Colombia’s most popular salsa dance bands. With that sweet trombone sound and Barros’s classy arrangements of original songs or covers of anthems such as this Johnny Colon 1960s guaguanco “Merecumbe”, they would become favourites with salsa dancers and DJs worldwide.

9. Xtremo – Orquesta Guayacan (Sony Norte 2006)

After trombonist Alexis Lozano left Grupo Niche in 1984 he formed his own band Orquesta Guayacan and they began releasing albums in 1986, becoming a hit band first in Colombia and then worldwide. By the 1990s they were recording for US based labels such as RMM and Sony and were serious rivals to Grupo Niche. This CD brought them one of their biggest hits ever in “Ay ay ay amor” but check this live clip of classic 1990s Guayacan with a more traditional Colombian salsa style that even incorporates cumbia into the arrangement.

Time and space limits his chart to just 10 artists but let us not forget...Los Nemus Del Pacifico, Grupo Gale, Los Niches, La Misma Gente, La Sabrosura, Kike Harvey, Los Alfa 8, Grupo Caneo, Saboranda, Gambino Pampini and La-33.