The
Feedback....
July
3, 2004-- Response to Mechy
It is sarcastic that the reader named Mechy talks trash about Mexican
salsa, since Perez Prado moved to Mexico after he invented the mambo,
and his best years were there, but I don`t even going to go there,
Salsa and mambo have always been part of the Mexican culture since
decades, there are many great mambo and salsa bands in Mexico, we
have amazing and legendary bands, rumberas, and pachucos, which are
part of the Mexican folklore along with other kinds of music like
trios, mariachi, banda, cumbia, etc, and like the food in Mexico is
rich and diverse, every province in Mexico has their own style, that
is what makes the country so special.
I appreciate and respect the music and culture from others countries,
because I am not close minded, arguing about who invented what, NY
style, LA, German, Japanese or which is the “right way”
to dance, or if you are Cuban, Puerto Rican, Canadian, or European
dancer is nonsense, there are just more and less talented dancers,
good and bad music. Just shut up and dance!!!!! -- Carlos
July
26, 2004-- Response to Carlos from Mechy
What are the legendary Mexican salsa bands? The only musician who mentioned
you was Cuban. Of course, many Cuban musicians went to Mexico, because
at that time Mexico was the Hollywood of Latin America and sheer size
of the potential market attacted many musicians.
Many Latin music musicians live in other countries for one reason or
another does that mean these countries become hotbeds for their music.
Of course not. I lived in Mexico for a few years and I see how hard
it is for salsa nightclubs to survive in Mexico.
Salsa may be more popular in Mexico DF, but outside the capital, salsa
is not very popular and people don't know how to dance to it. Even with
that said, I think LA has more strictly salsa nightclubs than Mexico
City. Most of the people who go to these salsa clubs in Mexico, DF are
not Mexicans, mostly Cubans, South Americans or North Americans. There
is no Mexican style of dancing salsa, because there is no independent
salsa culture in Mexico. All of the Mexican salsa dancers in the USA,
learned to dance salsa in the USA, not Mexico. I didn't say Mexico doesn't
have great food or culture or even music. It is wonderful country full
of wonderful people and customs -- Mechy
August
9, 2004-- Carlos response to Mechy
Dear Mechy: Do you think that artists like Perez Prado, and Celia Cruz,
never played music while there were in Mexico?, and don’t you
think that they influenced Mexican bands, the same way they were influenced
by Mexican music?, if not, you should listen “son Jarocho”
by Perez Prado.
Even now, many salsa artists like Marc Anthony and Fruko y sus Tesos
are influenced by Mexican music, check who is the compositor of songs
like: ”hasta que te conoci” and “ la diferencia”,
and you figure out what kind music they listen. I lived in Mexico for
24 years, and I grew up listening mambo bands like LA SONORA SANTANERA.
Salsa is not usually played in the must popular clubs in cities like
Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, but is played in the streets, in parties
called “bailes”, and “cabarets” and there are
huge in all the Country, even in the smallest village salsa, cumbia
and merengue, is played, and is know more like ”musica tropical”.
I am from Puebla Mexico, and the biggest night club is called “portos
tropical” and people dance salsa, cumbia, merengue, and quebradita
till 9:0 a.m. I have traveled all the Country, and I can tell you that
there are “bailes” “and fiestas sonideras” every
where.
People in Mexico do not care if they are dancing salsa the ”Cuban
way”, because dance lessons are not popular, one of the reasons
is because you learn how to dance by watching people in weddings and
parties. And people in Mexico listen and dance all kinds of music, and
I do not see a reason why people should dance “strictly salsa”
and listen just salsa.
I think the more types of music and dances you learn, the more educated
and better dancer you are, this is how Salsa music and dance was invented
in the first place, by mixing different styles of music; or you think
that one day, a meteorite hit a Cuban in the head, and he magically
invented Salsa, and therefore people all over the world should dance
that way, if that was the case, people from Brazil should play soccer
the “English way” because the soccer was invented in England,
or people from South America should not Play Base ball because it was
invented in USA and they do not have a big League like in the States.
Or Tito Puente Should not have played Mambo because he learned how to
play in New York, not in Puerto Rico. I guess that you did not like
the movie “Dirty Dancing, Havana Nights” where the principal
character is played by a Mexican actor (I am kidding) I did not liked
the movie either. Carlos
February
18, 2005 -- North American Salsa Dancing versus Cuban or Latin-style
Of course Mexico has always had presence in Salsa music and dancing.
Mechy was correct in pointing out that a lot of salsa bands moved to
Mexico. Caribbean islands are not exactly growth markets. You have to
understand that Mexico a very big country. Yes the music styles are
very regional. The music you listen to in Sinaloa is very different
than what you listen to in the Yucatan which is different to what you
listen to on the Riviera.
Mexico
is well secure in its identity that it does not have to own a music
style as badly as Cuba or Puerto Rico. Mexico is a very well blended
country that can dance everything from salsa, to polka, to tango, to
American rock.
So as to the comment of naming some performers, how about Poncho Sanchez
the conguero. Or how about Carlos Santana. All of his music is Afro-Latin,
not rock. You can dance any of his songs to a Cha-Cha. Songs like Smooth,
or Corazon Espinado are Cha-Cha's. Some of the very best salsa clubs,
salsa bands, and salsa dancers I have ever seen are in Mexico and are
from Mexico but Mexico is certainly not limited to it.
Well that being all said, I do question why we question who and how
people dance. Why are we being so exclusive. Who really cares that West
Coast Salsa is different from Cuban, or any other nonsense like that.
Anybody can Salsa, just like anybody can dance Rock, or Merengue or
anything else. How else is the dance supposed to grow. Like we have
never seen a Swing or a Jitterbug step in Salsa. That how it gets started
by others contributing uniquely. -- Roman
April
4 , 2005 -- North American salsa dancing Vs. Latin American
Roman, The fact that you called Cha Cha Cha "Cha Cha" really
shows how American you are. Both of the artists, Poncho Sanchez and
Carlos Santana are Mexican Americans. Their music is more indicative
of American music. R and B, funk, and Rock form formative parts of their
music. Sanchez grew up in California, and plays Latin Jazz, which he
learned very various Latin and American musicians, none Mexicans. I
would call Carlos Santana's music rock or pop, with a sprinkling of
Latin music. At any rate, I don't think Carlos Santana's music would
be high on any salsero's play list.
But most importantly, their music is not the product of Mexico's salsa
scene. Poncho Sanchez is unknown to most Mexicans in Mexico, and Carlos
Santana become famous in Mexico, because he became famous in the United
States. Most Mexicans wouldn't consider their music Mexican, as most
salseros wouldn't consider their music salsa. I understand Mexican music
is very regional, but I went to the what are considered the hotspot
for salsa in Mexico the Carribean coast, Mexico city and the south.
I challenge any person to name one great salsa band or one great salsa
song that come from Mexico (Not Los Angeles, which by the way are not
so good). Most of the good bands in Mexico are made up of Cubans who
escaped from Cuba to make a better life. There is not an independent
salsa culture apart from the influences that come from the Latin Carribean.
Most Mexicans consider salsa and merengue to be Carribean music, different
from Mexican music, and many people in Mexico of the upper middle class
in Mexico consider Salsa to be low-class or corriente.
There is no Mexican style of dancing salsa. The best dancing and bands
you have seen are in Mexico? You should get out more. Or being an American
are you able to go to Cuba? It is true many Cubans went to Mexico for
various political or commerical reasons. But always their music died
there always, because even though the total market as you put it might
be bigger, then salsa market tended to be smaller. And their music tended
to be stagnant, because they left the vibrant salsa scene in Cuba. I
agree with you we really shouldn't care where something comes from when
we are dancing. I only entered this debate because some people who should
have been just enjoying themselves made some false historical and cultural
claims. -- Mechy
July
11, 2005 -- North American salsa dancing Vs. Latin American
Ha, ha, Points well taken, thank you for your corrections. I never said
Mexico has a distinct style of salsa dancing or music, just that it
has a place in Mexico as you confirmed. I certainly do not know of any
Mexican or Mexican-Americans ever claiming to have invented Salsa music
and dance.
However, I would like all the salseros to know that the word Salsa IS
a Mexican word (as in chips and salsa). The mambo crowd in the 70's
took our word and applied it to their music and dance to rebrand mambo
because it was losing market share. So if people (mostly Americans)
confuse Mexican being synonymous with Salsa music that is a result of
your own bad marketing. Even Tito Puente did not like the word Salsa.
Mechy, I love your passion for Salsa but it may be slightly misguided
in 1 respect which appears to be an exclusive blocking of Mexican or
Mexican-American salsa. Salsa will never overtake Regional Mexican,
Samba, or Tango in marketshare unless Salsa finds a way into Mexico,
Brazil, and Argentina. Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, are the economic,
political, cultural, and dominant countries in Latin America, period.
The very best way for Salsa to grow is to find a way into these countries.
The best way into Mexico is through our very own Mexican-Americans.
Try to rediscover music in LA for what it is and not what it should
be. What I see in LA is a terrific start and something to build on even
if it does not fit what I believe is a narrow view of Salsa.
If our Salseros continue to remain exclusive then be content to stay
with your 12% marketshare. While Regional Mexican music alone runs away
with 55% marketshare. I stress we have to find a way to into Mexico
and the best opportunity is through Mexican-Americans. Mechy, I hope
I get to meet you some day, I'd love to see you on the dance floor.
-- Roman
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