The 17th New York Salsa Festival features the biggest stars in salsa including: Willie Colón, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Victor Manuelle, Grupo Niche, Oscar de Leon, Jerry Rivera, Tony Vega, Edgar Joel, with special guests New York merengueros Oro Sólido, backed by a great salsa band directed by Bobby Allende and Marc Quiñones; at Barclays Center in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; on Saturday, June 10, 2023 at 8pm. From $84. 🇵🇷 🇩🇴 🇨🇴 🇻🇪
17th New York Salsa Festival 2023
The New York Salsa Festival 2023 is part of New York Puerto Rico Week, on the night before the National Puerto Rican Day Parade.
Willie Colón is a legendary trombonist, leader and FANIA All-Star. He’s loved for his long collaborations with Héctor Lavoe. 🇵🇷
El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico are the masters of the Santurce, Puerto Rico sound. The band formed out of the breakup of Rafael Cortijo y su Combo when Ismael Rivera had to leave. They were the band that brought Puerto Rican bomba and plena into salsa. Salsa has the bomba sicá rhythm in it and the joyful rhythms and singing of plena. 🇵🇷
Victor Manuelle is a salsa romántica star of the younger generation. He’s from Isabela, Puerto Rico, and started his career when Gilberto Santa Rosa, “El Caballero de la Salsa” invited him to sing onstage at his high school graduation party. Manuelle didn’t just sing well. He traded soneos (freestyled verses) with Santa Rosa who is famous for doing that. 🇵🇷
Grupo Niche are the masters of salsa Colombiana. They’re originally from Bogotá, but are known for their Cali sound. It’s not a salsa party without “Un Aventura” and “Cali Pachangero.” 🇨🇴
Oscar d’Leon is from Caracas, Venezuela. You hear his hit “Llorarás” at every salsa dance. 🇻🇪
Jerry Rivera, “El Bebé de la Salsa” is from Humacao and Toa Baja. He was discovered by Tommy Olivencia of Santurce, whose band was the university of the salsa before El Gran Combo took the mantle. Think “Cara de nino” and “Desnudate mujere.” Funny thing about that last song is that most people think it’s just about getting naked to make love, but it also means to really open your soul in a deeper way. 🇵🇷
Tony Vega is known for his 1991 platinum album “Uno Mismo.” He came up with timbalero Willie Rosario and did some famous work with Eddie Palmieri. 🇵🇷
Edgar Joel is from Philadelphia, but his family is from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico in the heart of the island’s mountain spine. He is known for “Hasta Sol de Hoy” and “En las Nubes.” 🇵🇷
Oro Sólido (Solid Gold) is a New York merengue band led by Raul Acosta from Santo Domingo. He came to Jersey City as a child with no English. He built a merengue band that has played the world’s biggest stages from Madison Square Garden to President George Bush’s inauguration. 🇩🇴
Bobby Allende and Marc Quiñones are a Puerto Rican percussion duo who back the biggest stars in the business. We met them when they backed Rubén Blades at Jazz at Lincoln Center. They always make the music great. You will feel Bobby and Marc. 🇵🇷
Get tickets at barclayscenter.com