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The New Wave Like La Ponceña, two other venues that refuse to die are Olafo and El Bembén. After 20 years they are still relevant in the popular neighbourhoods. La Diferente is new venue that seems to be doing well. Also Mundo Latino is part of the new Salsotecas movement. And if you feel like dancing? “In the old days, by law you were not allowed to do it. It sometimes happened that some client couldn’t contain himself or herself but the music would stop immediately, so people finally understood the essence of these places: to listen.” explains Wilmar. “But since the 80s dancing has become more frequent and the clientele has changed; before the male presence was overlwelming, but since dancing was allowed guys started to turn up with their wives, girlfriends or just friends. And since no
And if you feel like dancing? “In the old days, by law you were not allowed to do it.
It sometimes happened that some client couldn’t It sometimes happened that some client couldn’t contain himself or herself but the music would stop immediately, so people finally understood the essence of these places: to listen.” explains Wilmar. “But since the 80s dancing has become more frequent and the clientele has changed; before the male presence was overlwelming, but since dancing was allowed guys started to turn up with their wives, girlfriends
or just friends. And since now a lot more women come
Gary is now recognised by the city of Cali as a protector of the city’s heritage for the work he has been doing with the Melómanos meetings since 1991.
The Endurance of Authenticity
Now, with a budget of 200 million pesos from the city’s mayor, more than 1000 participants and international projection, the local authorities understand that the city’s passion for Salsa is a unique phenomena, being celebrated as far afield as London’s Tate Modern.
and enjoy the concept, it has become more open. We even take requests, which normally come from the female crowd, no problem”
Dancing or no dancing, what makes a salsoteca unique is its music collection, the huge amount of Vinyl put in a precise order on a shelve located behind the programmer (rather than a DJ). This is what attracts a crowd. Gary Dominguez, pioneer of the movement tells us that “Cali has a deep salsa culture, it is so big that people can sit down and listen to 4-6 hours of the same artist”. Gary’s Taberna Latina, which he began in 1982, is probably the most iconic Salsoteca ever. After many years he went to live in New York and Puerto Rico in his perennial search for Salsa knowledge, then he returned to Cali a few years ago. He transformed his family house into a new reincarnation of La Taberna Latina: the living room and the garage got changed in a new way and he used some of his vinys to cover the walls and brought out his already legendary music collection out alongside his photos, los cameras and his beloved turntable.
DJ Jose Luis’ Digital Salsoteca: a journey through Latin music, from classic Salsa to the sounds of modern day Latin London, will take place on June 29 from 6pm to 11pm @ the Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1. FREE. Includes film, live music, DJs, vinyl art and a sample based performance.