Que Viva La Salsa: Culture, Rhythm, and Soul with Brandon Espinosa of The Salsa Project
Brandon Esponisa, Founder of The Salsa Project. By Claudio De La Rosa. Courtesy of Brandon Espinosa.
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Music is the focal point of most of life’s fondest memories. Whether singing along in car rides or dancing at family gatherings big and small, the language of music, and its effects on our lives, is universal. Certain artists’ tunes transcend time, transporting us to our youth, and the youths of our parents and families. A means of time travel, certain songs’ choruses are still sung as heartfelt today as they were decades ago. Songs whose meanings change depending on what season of life you find yourself in, whose lyrics continue teaching us lessons, and whose instrumentation is embodied in the flyest of steps and improvisation. Songs whose beats have become intertwined with our individual and collective memories, and written into our DNA. There are few genres that do this more than Salsa.
The creative genius of pan-Latino and pan-Caribbean expression born in the Bronx alongside Hip-Hop in the 1970s, salsa is still alive and well. Today, we passionately sing the words of las Estrellas de Fania and Frankie Ruiz, jumping out of our seats and hitting the dance floor as sweat collects at our brow. Salsa allows us to time travel. Passion, nostalgia, and overwhelming love for all that is Salsa is what drove Brandon Espinosa to create The Salsa Project. In 2018, the Bronxite salsero sought to pour his love of the art form into a project cemented in protecting the genre that’s been a constant in his life. Focusing on the preservation of Salsa through a multi-disciplinary approach—media, community engagement, events, and merchandise—Brandon and his team are committed to ensuring the continuation of one of New York City’s—and the world’s—most transformative music and art forms.
The Salsa Project. By Claudio De La Rosa. Courtesy of Brandon Espinosa.
A New Yorker and Caribeño, your identities are rooted in spaces integral to the birth and continuation of salsa. What are your earliest memories of salsa?
I am fortunate to have been raised with a sense of pride for both my Boricua and Cuban cultures, which has and continues to impact my identity and work in this world around Salsa. My earliest memories of Salsa are most certainly rooted en casa (at home) where I was constantly immersed in the sounds of my ancestry through an array of different influences of our beloved Salsa. During my young years, I vividly recall my mother playing boleros while cleaning the house and later transitioning to the sounds of El Gran Combo as day turned to night. I also remember the days I would go to my dad’s house and he would make a run to the record store (Virgin Records at the time) to buy the latest music and immediately go home to introduce me to them (after a little sample at the individual kiosks in store). Can’t ever forget the burned CDs and mp3s he would make for me as I got older. I would also be remised not to make mention of the many Salsa concerts that I was fortunate to attend with my parents. Learning about how my parents met dancing Salsa and my mother’s time with Fania definitely has shown me that this music is part of our bloodline. Exposure was everything! Salsa wasn’t just an occasional thing, it was a way of life. I learned to gain an appreciation for it.
How was The Salsa Project born?
The Salsa Project was born in October of 2018 after many years of wrestling with the question “how are we going to preserve Salsa for years to come as those who paved the way (our elders) begin to leave us one at a time?” This question had deeper meaning as I began to unpack it and realize that Salsa was just the vehicle, but what we were really trying to preserve was our stories, our culture, our history, and our traditions. After going to many Salsa concerts and observing the environment I realized I was often the youngest in the room. I knew something had to be done. The catalyst to finally taking a leap of faith was when my daughter Pia was born in January of 2018. 10 months later The Salsa Project was born. This project is my love letter to Salsa.
The Salsa Project. By Claudio De La Rosa. Courtesy of Brandon Espinosa.
Your daughter also came into the world around the same time! Surely her birth also inspired you to do this preservation work.
It is essential to pass down our music to the next and future generations if we want to make sure our stories are told and remain in tact. Music is a big part of that. When you really begin to understand the birth of Salsa, you quickly realize it is a story of resistance, oppression, immigration, survival, etc. It is the story of our abuelos and abuelas. It is important that our youth and generations to come at a minimum are aware of Salsa and its cultural significance. This is just one of the tools to help with protecting, preserving, and ensuring that our culture doesn’t not die. It is part of America’s history.
More than just music, salsa is an art form in itself. Why did you choose to root your work in this genre versus other styles of music or Latino and Caribbean cultural expression?
Music is universal art form and I believe there is a natural connection and form of understanding regardless of cultural background. As humans, there is common ground and a unifying force that music creates. I specifically chose to root my work in Salsa because it is the primary genre of music from the motherlands of where my parents are from and what I was exposed to growing up given my family’s rich history and connection to the music. But let’s not forget the evolution and journey of this music began in Africa.
The Salsa Project. By Claudio De La Rosa. Courtesy of Brandon Espinosa.
While there exists countless genres from Latin America and the Caribbean, salsa has always transcended borders, nationalities, languages, and continents. Why do you think salsa has remained such a vital part of Latino and Caribbean cultural expression?
Salsa keeps the rhythm of my heartbeat and is the soundtrack to my life. Salsa tells the stories of my culture, the importance of our traditions, and preserves our history. Salsa is joy on the best of occasions and healing on the worst of days. Salsa is a feeling. Salsa is a movement. Salsa is NYC. Salsa is me. Salsa is a language spoken globally and understood universally, which is why it has remained as a vital part of music in its totality. It inspires many and creates a sense of connection to one’s roots. This is precisely why you see Salsa tracks being sampled and interpreted in other genres of music (i.e. Bad Bunny) and why you see a significant Salsa community in places like France and Japan. Salsa’s roots are deep and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. I will also say that I have coined this year as the “Resurgence of Salsa”.
In unity, there’s strength. Curating events across the city and diaspora, The Salsa Project brings many together for one common goal: to express their love of salsa, dance, and be surrounded by people who share their passion for the culture. Salsa provides a platform for unity to thrive.
As I have said on many occasions, The Salsa Project is nothing without its community. Where there is community there is life and that is why we are still around 6 years later. The power that exists within the community we have built is palpable and that beat comes at the intersection of the music, dancer, DJ, and musicians, which collide to create a form of self expression. The connection that then ensues creates a unity that regardless of background and walk of life, all can agree has a sense of euphoria and joy. Our events are all about the immersive experience that we create and the energy that those present give off to illuminate others around them. Salsa is just magical. It is where passion meets movement.
The Salsa Project at Bronx Brewery. By Pachote. Courtesy of Brandon Espinosa.
Like many cultural movements, salsa often gets reduced to a handful of popular songs, with its greater impact unspoken or overlooked. What do you think people get wrong about salsa, and why do you center education as part of your mission?
I believe most people truly don’t understand the true essence and complexity of Salsa. The biggest barrier in my opinion stems from “I don’t understand Spanish” or “I don’t know how to dance”. I always try telling those that meet Salsa with this resistance that the music is universal and it is a feeling. You first need to get people in the room before the education can begin. Salsa isn’t just for Latinos or Caribbeans or those that speak Spanish, it is for everyone. Given our mission, it is important to engage with the youth as early as possible, which is something we hope to tackle in a deeper way this year. Without education there will always be assumptions and misunderstanding.
Preserving community and culture are vital to The Salsa Project. What motivates you to continue showing up for your people?
The motivation is twofold, on one hand I feel like I have an obligation to do my part in preserving Salsa and on the other I know the impact that our work has on our community is priceless. There have been countless times where people have expressed their gratitude and the impact that our work and events have had on them personally. Each testimony sparks energy and highlights the importance of this work well beyond our mission. I am just a vessel that was inspired by my upbringing, culture, and environment to carry the baton forward.
Brandon Espinosa. By Pachote. Courtesy of Brandon Espinosa.
Like Hip-Hop, salsa is a uniquely New York City creation: one that was born from the creative minds of pan-Latino and pan-Caribbean musicians and innovators. What does it mean to you to carry the legacy of preserving this art form in its birthplace?
The Bronx aka “El Condado de La Salsa” (The Borough of Salsa), which is where Salsa got its name and was commercialized. Having been raised in The Bronx makes me have a deeper affinity and connection to the meaning of this music for our people, but it doesn’t add a pressure to preserve this art form. In reality, it creates a sense of connection and understanding to the history of this music and the elements integral to its sound. There is a rich and vibrant Salsa community here that has not lost its love for the music. It only makes sense to have an event series rooted in the area where it all started, the South Bronx. What I love about The Bronx Brewery space is that its backyard feels like old New York and still has the grittiness of some of the spaces from back in the day. Simply put, we found a home to bring our “Salsa Pa’ La Cultura” series that is similar to some of the outdoor block parties back in the 70’s and 80’s. We will always have a presence in The Bronx because that is home.
Recently having celebrated six years, what hopes do you have for the continuation of salsa across NYC, and the world?
Something that started as a passion project has evolved into something bigger than we ever thought. Our community is to thank for that. Our hope is to continue to expand our work and mission to multiple cities around the world and engage with the communities that exist there. When you lead with passion and authenticity there is no telling how far we can go, but one thing is for certain… La Salsa sigue (Salsa goes on) and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. We are in a resurgence of Salsa and The Salsa Project will be a part of that journey. ¡QUE VIVA LA SALSA!
Brandon Esponisa and his daughter. By Claudio De La Rosa. Courtesy of Brandon Espinosa.