salsa

Contemporary Latin American dance music. Salsa developed in Cuba in the 1940s. It drew upon local musical styles, such as charanga (featuring primarily strings and flute) and the dance music of the conjuntos (bands), and blended them with elements of jazz. In the 1950s salsa began to flourish in New York City, where it incorporated traditional Puerto Rican rhythms, and later, elements from Venezuelan and Colombian music and rhythm and blues. Its stars have included Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and Willie Colon.