Heavy on the Salsa Please

April 29, 2011 8:51 PM

Need your best Latin dance music STAT!

Party tomorrow & just found out Papi's done *nothing* about getting together music. Need to put together a playlist on YouTube ASAP while trying to construct a cake & cook for 50 to 75 people. Anything from Rancheros to Salsa, but with an emphasis on upbeat & dance-able.

20 great songs & I'd have an hour or so of music, could put it on endless repeat & forget about it. Specific songs I can click over to or look up (as opposed to general mentions of artists or albums) would be extremely helpful. Thank you ever so much for your help!

posted by Ys to media & arts (5 answers total)

Sorry if this is off the mark (I don't know much about Latin music), but there is an extensive Youtube playlist of Pérez Prado hits, if that's of any help.
posted by just_ducky at 10:44 PM on April 29, 2011

I have no idea why, but this reminded me of that latin dance scene from Mission Impossible 2.

The song is Seville by Hans Zimmer feat. Heitor Pereira & Lisa Gerrard.

Another marginal "latin" song would be Hotel California by the Gipsy Kings.
posted by clearly at 12:46 AM on April 30, 2011

Probably too late, but the Putumayo label has many releases that would fit the bill. Latin Party; Salsa Around The World; Rumba, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha... Many on iTunes and/or youtube.
posted by likeso at 4:10 AM on April 30, 2011

The Fania All Stars.
posted by timsteil at 7:15 AM on April 30, 2011

Definitely any album by Fania All Stars, of any of Tito Puente's many albums, or Eddie Palmieri.

Specific songs i would play to get a latin party going, especially for social dancing:

Cinturita (Eddie Palmieri)
Oye Como Va (Tito Puente)
Pa' Gozar (Spanish Harlem Orchestra)
Paz (Frankie Dante)
El Cantante (Hector Lavoe)
Mi Isla Puerto Rico (Ray Rodriguez)
Barbarabatiri (Tito Puente & Eddie Palmieri)
Bombon de Azucar (Charlie Cruz)
Marie Laveaux (Cubanismo)
Bang Bang (Joe Cuba)
Lloraras (Oscar D'Leon)
Sambroso (Poncho Sanchez)
Cuando Te Vea (Tito Puente)
El Yo-yo (Wayne Gorbea)
Chupa El Piruli (Frankie Dante)
El negro Bembon (Celia Cruz)
Oye La Noticia (Ray Baretto)
Cha Cha Mambo (Tito Puente)
Comejen (Richie Ray)
Tu Mama No Quiso (Hermanos Moreno)
Smooth (Santana)
posted by shazzam! at 8:44 AM on April 30, 2011