New Millennium Salsa

Few bands have been as instrumental in modernizing salsa and speeding up its tempo as Colombia's Sonora Carruseles. In the U.S., the Spanish Harlem Orchestra has engaged in a crusade to preserve the funky vibe of New York's '70s salsa explosion. Pedro Jesús is one of the genre's most explosive young songwriters.

A native of Congo, Los Angeles-based Ricardo Lemvo mixes the roots of Cuban music with the spiraling guitars of African rumba. "La Hija de Lola" is the Spanish Harlem Orchestra's opulent remake of the Charlie Palmieri classic. Both David Calzado and Issac Delgado favor the aggressive Cuban style known as timba.

The new millennium saw a revival of late '60s boogaloo, performed with gusto on this section by Colombia's Grupo Galé. Wayne Gorbea's "Nélida" demonstrates that the New York barrio aesthetic is still alive and kicking. Machado's "La Cartera" finds inspiration in the tuneful flute and violins of classic Cuban charanga.

Even though reggaetón and bachata are currently the most popular styles of tropical music, salsa continues to thrive thanks to the stubborn determination of a new generation of bands. New Millennium Salsa looks at the future with confidence. Veteran singers like Andy Montañez and Eddie Santiago have remained relevant by modernizing their sound. In Colombia, Puerto Rico, and New York, hundreds of new young orchestras are embracing salsa with unprecedented zest and passion.