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 Please note: The above opinions are those of the respected individuals, and in no way reflect the opinions or musical policy of their respective businesses or events.
DJ's mixing Salsa tracks
has become quite a controversial subject, more so of late. Below are a
few opinions from certains DJ's, dancers, and musicians , who are
active in the Salsa community.
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Salsa Dj's: To mix or not to mix......
Lubi Jovanovic (UK salsa DJ since 1985 & Fania Records CD compiler) - www.myspace.com/djlubi
A very controversial subject that tends to bring out strong opinions on both sides! Me, I've been on both sides of the argument. Up to 2000, I didn't really think about beatmixing or beatmatching salsa. Latin hiphop like Orishas and Vico C, yes. Latin ragga as it was called before it became reggaeton, yes. But salsa, no. I'm a funk and hiphop DJ as well as salsa but I never brought that style into my salsa DJing. Then I played with Henry Knowles at London's Scala in January 2000 and he came in beatmatching salsa, looping montunos and mambo horn riffs, using delay and echo to finish songs, flanging percussion solos etc. To be honest, as a DJ it impressed me quite a lot. It was the first time I'd seen hiphop and house techniques being used in a salsa context and it was quite fresh. It must have impressed me because I remember standing in the toilets having a pee and hearing the intro to "Micaela" by Sonora Caruselles coming in over the top of an Africando track and thinking "Thats clever, I must try that". And I did. I went home and found "Micaela" and other similar intros or salsa tracks like "Anglo Cubano" by Alex Wilson with an extended piano montuno intro, and I started mixing salsa. It was 2001, Alex Wilson's "R&B Latino" CD was hot, "Playa No'More" was banging, r&b salsa was coming in strong as was reggaeton. For a while it was fresh, funky and exciting. However, I need to stress that this mixology style I only did at certain venues, namely my own Leeds residency at the time Salsoul plus a few like-minded urban latin nights in Manchester and Glasgow. If I played at a straight salsa venue like Latin Motion, Salsology or Mambo City or at salsa congresses, I NEVER mixed, I just put the tracks on from start to finish, as they were recorded, no effects or edits.
 However, come 2005, I stopped mixing salsa, even in the urban latin nights. I was playing seperate reggaeton/latin hiphop sets from my salsa sets and these were where I mixed. With salsa, I stopped mixing because;
(a) I got bored - it didn't sound fresh anymore but predictable
(b) it f*cks the dancers up if you blend 3 songs into a 15 minute mix - in the end, I'm a dj who likes to fill the floor and have the dancers on my side not throwing bottles at me
(c) who the f*ck am I to mix out an amazing Angel Canales or Eddie Palmieri song in the middle of the track? They didn't record it to be cut halfway through the piano solo so thats not what I'm there to do
(d) it started annoying me when someone mixed a classic El Gran Combo track out and brought in some modern remix of the same song, especially before a big mambo is about to come into the arrangement.
So my stance today is as follows:
I don't mix salsa when I am playing in a salsa club or at a salsa congress. I start the song, I let it play, I let it finish. I NEVER fade songs in at the beginning (can any salsa DJ explain to me why some people do that because it annoys the f*ck out of me and is plainly wrong), and I very rarely fade a song out unless it is over 6 minutes long.
The only time I mix salsa-related music is if it is salsaton or an r&b salsa remix (Lumidee, Sean Paul, Beyonce etc) or a salsa-hiphop track and then only in venues like Latino bars with few salsa dancers in and more ordinary folks there OR at a latino stage at a big festival like EXIT in Serbia or the V Festival Bacardi B-Bars. I think these places are fine for mixing due to the nature of the crowd but only certain styles of salsa I mentioned above.
So thats my view about mixing/beatmatching salsa. I don't do it personally but if thats what you as a DJ want to do, then do it. Its not my place to criticise you. In the end, it is the dancers and promoters who decide.
Chris Soto (Producer, Promoter, and Manager) - www.themamboproject.com
 Well, I go back to my hip hop days to say that if done right, I do appreciate the art of mixing songs. I might even like to hear some DJs switch the vocals and beats to songs! But whether I prefer DJs do it really depends on where I am at. I find that mixing mostly occurs at clubs or events where there is a broader audience - not just hard core salseros/as. It seems that your 'social / congress DJs' are conditioned not to mix because most dancers do not like it. And most likely, if I am at a congress or social, I would probably prefer the DJ doesn't mix the songs.
My reasoning starts with my mentality going to a congress/social. Dancers can all attest to that dance floor chemistry you find during a great dance, or the exact opposite by getting beat up. Either way, I tend to enjoy one dance at a time. No need to spoil that chemistry or live through another 5 minutes of elbows. Plus, if you have an affinity towards the music, you may only want to dance to the first song and not the second one.
On the flip side, if I was at a club, or non-salsero spot, I really dont mind. It actually keeps the vibe going. So my bottom line is that I definitely appreciate the art of it, dont prefer it at a social/congress, but its cool at the club when you're chilin' with your friends.
Moe Flex - www.moeflexdance.com
I'm a DJ of many years but don't really do it so much now. I just focus on my dancing as you probably know but what frustrates me is that the expressions you used (phasing, flanging,  chopping) are new words to a most salsa DJ's. Some of them don't even know what a proper bar is and no idea what is a phrase so generally its some1 who has a large collection of music and 1 day started playing. As the salsa scene is normally happy hitting just play they have a place.
Occasionally you have some DJ's that will have a go at mixing (normally DJ's of a different genre), doesn't come out so well to say the least.
You have DJ's like Henry Knowles for example who will mix so well that unless you KNOW the song, you will dance 3 tracks thinking that its just 1 really long track lol. Providing the choice of music is good, that's the DJ's job done well.... Keeping every1 on the dance floor!
Del Salereo (Salsa FM London) - www.salsafmlondon.com
 Salsa is not the conventional house and drum and base music. Basically its a couple dance themed music. Not designed to keep the same couples dancing all night.What Salsa djs want to more concerntrate on doing is educating Saleros about the music and letting them know who is playing their set. Making your stamp. I use the mic at big events and at other times my broadcast Jingle drop. Jullian the Duke uses one too. I think this is good. Its not about showing the audience what you can mish mash whim bang etc, they dont care and i dont blame them, they just want to hear a good set and like i said if the floor is full to a paticular track educate them, let them know who it is playing the song, most of all let them know who you are, because if a promoter puts you on their flyers and you done a great job, those dancers should visit that promoters event without hesitation.
Gerorge Rodriguez (New Swing Sextet) - www.newswingsextet.com
As far as 'beat-mixing' goes, I love it when it's done right (and most of the times I've heard it I thought it was done right). It requires skill, timing, patience, creativity, imagination, and tender loving care. Maybe another pre-requisite is that it not be overdone (remember...less is more).
DJ EldelaClave (San Francisco) - www.UnderGroundMambo.com
Well, i dont really mind it that much as LONG as is done well, Henry Knowles is a good example for it , he is got it down. If the Clave & Tumbao are mix correctly the mix will be smooth, some cats are trying to mix and end up disrespecting and messing up the music, for me as a music lover im ok with it.
As a dancer, well thats another opinion, sometimes i dont wanna dance to a 15+ min song, but it also depends who im dancing with, sometimes we'll get stocked with a not so fun partner and the dance is not fun. If is a A band Playing the 10+ song is ok by me, im all for the LIVE music. I will love to see more Hard Salsa mix with some Cha Cha Cha ;-)
Mel C (Carpe Diem Dance Company, Salsa-Central) - www.carpediemdancecompany.co.uk
As a dancer, mixing is the ultimate sin for me for the following reasons:
1) If you are having a crap dance (there is no other way to put it!) for whatever reason, the end of the track is a relief!
2) You run the risk of insulting the other person if you realise that the track has ended but they haven’t
3) A lot of DJs ruin some phat tracks by mixing them! As a shines fanatic, I absolutely love tracks with really prominent breaks and strong percussion sections, so there is nothing worse that gearing yourself up for some serious footwork and some twat mixes a track into the very section you’ve been waiting for!
4) Mixing is generally done by DJs who want to ‘show off’ to one another, it is then no longer for the crowd and all about the DJ.
I didn’t always have this opinion, when I first experienced mixing, (it was in 2001 and Henry Knowles was in Birmingham, wicked!) II appreciated the skill behind the art, (and it is an art, when done well!) I thought ‘wow – that’s pretty cool’! Then, other DJs started to experiment and before you knew it, every man and his dog started doing it!
Now, it has become pretty tiresome to be honest, I think that a lot of DJs that mix are DJing for themselves, and I long for that 3 second pause in between tracks! It’s just enough time to say thanks, switch partners, or head for the bar!
DJ Sizzla (LatynVybz) - www.latynvybz.com
 From a dancers perspective I want a clear start and ending too a track so I can select my next victim!!! A lot of dancers are not aware of when a track starts or ends (if mixed smoothly by the DJ) and it can be an awkward moment When you say thanks and explain that the track has finished. On a personal note I can't last 10 minutes( on the dance floor!!!)
Salsa mixing is a difficult skill, to cut in at the right moment, beat match , clave match where necessary and all the other stuff I can appreciate as a DJ how difficult this is and the time and effort it takes to get it right. Henry Knowles springs to mind immediately as one of best in this field and is able to keep the dance floor going. Some djs can loop, punch, flange and drop in other effects in an attempt to enhance the music or demonstrate their skills. I've also seen DJs attempt all the above and totally butcher the night!!! Recently saw a DJ who played a few exceptional sets but never nailed the mixing to the extent where two tracks were playing simultaneously for what seemed an age.
So, I play with out mixing, that is mixing 2 tracks together. I have though doctored tracks, speed them up, slowed them down cut and paste them to extend the track to create a unique recording. This is done to make the track more dance friendly and done in advance of my gig.
More and more djs are using laptops and mixing hardware so mixing might be on the increase given the capability of some of the equipment I've seen.
So for me I just wanna pop a cd in and press play, sort out another bad boy and press play again. It seems to work for me. However I might add my party piece; levitate in the air with a giant finger, drop in a two and a half twist with pike, then press play wearing a blindfold to demonstrate the full range of my DJ skills!!!
Emma Moore
 From an ex dance (house, garage, d&b etc) DJ's perspective first of all I would define 'mixing' as the blending of two or more tracks both in tune (key) and in time (tempo). In dance music terms this is an essential part of maintaining a busy dance floor. I won't go into the other skills dance music djs use like phasing, phlanging, chopping, scratching etc to create interest and contrast, since an ability to 'mix' is the basic prerequisite of any dance dj and in salsa terms mixing is what seems to be the most controversial subject. Why is this important? Because djs in each genre are often compared when in my opinion their respective skills and objectives are very different.
Mixing in dance music serves at least three purposes that I can think of:
- A seamless transition between tracks maintains a constant dance floor (that's why clubbers tend not to leave the floor and carry their bottles on to it ;) )
- By blending tracks you can build tension and atmosphere and while some sets will take a new direction occasionally, the idea is to develop a (usually 2 hour) set in tempo, tension excitement etc. Bear in mind that clubbers may stay on the floor up to five or six hours STRAIGHT!
- Part of the appeal of dance music djs is precisely their technical ability to blend both key and tempo on up to five decks (that I have seen) and this makes for a visual as well as aural phenomena. Even seasoned dance djs find this difficult enough as they understand it's not simply a case of just keeping two tracks in time.
In my view the above reasons for mixing tracks simply don't apply to salsa dance floors;
Dancers want and need breaks to rest, change partners and 'finish' dance. If musicians wanted djs to mix their tracks they wouldn't go 'Ta Da!' at the end, they would provide you 16 bars of tuneless beats so you could mix them easily...no thank you! It would be extreme arrogance if I thought I could elaborate where Ray Barretto left off.
Dancers, I believe want variety in their music throughout a night, a salsa equivalent to a house music night would be straight boleros for the first hour followed by a few cha chas and finishing with a couple of hours of descargas! In other words the build essential to house dance floors is just not relevant to salsa floors. If salsa djs are having to select tracks for their tempo and key in order to mix them, over the most appropriate track to play at a given moment, I think the music is compromised.
But, the third and final reason (I think you know by now my take on whether salsa should be mixed or not!) is that I have yet to hear what I would describe as 'mixing' where it creates a whole new and uplifting sound because salsa djs don't generally 'blend' two tracks. I have heard many chop, overlay effects on and loop tracks, but a mix in the sense that two tracks are timed exactly and that when in time they stay in key AND in time over a significant duration, no not really. What I tend to hear when salsa djs attempt to mix is two tracks slipping in and out of time (understandable given that this music is not made by computers with the precision of house music..thank goodness!) or worse still, out of tune. Result? A sound something like a drum kit rolling down a hill taking a pair of cats with it.
I should add that I have heard some good chops (cutting from one track to another), nicely timed looping and some merengue mixed quite successfully but I maintain that overall it just isn't as important to salsa dance floors as what to play and when to play it.
In summary unless it is REALLY important to dancers (which general consensus indicates it isn't) why bother if it's more than likely going to go horribly wrong and annoy the paying punter? If it's simply a means for djs to keep things interesting for themselves and other djs there's always your bedroom.....
DJ Torqueo (Salsa-Central DJ and Contributor) - www.salsa-dj.co.uk
I used to DJ house music a number of years back, and the music that was produced for that scene often had extended versions, or versions specifically to enable beat-mixing, as opposed to the more radio-friendly versions. The dj-friendly versions of these tracks had longer intros and outros, often with more sparse instrumentation, which was perfect for beat-mixing. This is not the case with Salsa music, where any attempt often results in clashing frequencies and percussion.
Personally, I can beat mix but choose not to. Attempting to beat mix salsa is like trying to do so with Funk or Northern Soul. I've heard a few dj's attempt it, some better than others, with some absolutely disastrous results at times. It seems to be more a case of doing it for the sake of it, rather than adding any value to the music or the dancing experience.
It's a little more acceptable with some of the more modern salsa, and with reggaeton, as well as broader 'Latin Nights' (as opposed to dance-focused salsa nights), but I think if you ask the majority of dancers and the musicians that made the music, I think they'd prefer it to be left alone.
Please note: The above opinions are those of the respected individuals, and in no way reflect the opinions or musical policy of their respective businesses or events.
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