It’s a fact that Colombia always has been a big contributor to the development of salsa music. For years, formations such as Fruko y su Tesos, Niche, Guayacan and Sonora Carruseles have been contributing to a distinctive, recognizable sound that is easy to listen to.

But salsa music keeps on developing. Bogota, Colombia, is on the way to distinguish itself and responds to the desire to create a sound which touches your soul. Call it rough, or unpolished and hard, or just call it “Salsa Callejera” (salsa of the street). 

In 2000, the 2 brothers Sergio and Santiago Mejia form a group called LA-33 that consists of musicians with different backgrounds in music. Their ambition was to recreate classical salsa music, which resulted in the release of their debut album in 2004.

Gozalo

Their new album Gozalo is once again a musical journey covering all styles of salsa; boogalo, son montuno, guajira, colombian jazz and a few of boleros. After LA-33 other bands followed, and all with their own distinctive street style of salsa. Just listen to bands such as Ocho y Media, Kimbawe, Calambuco, Lalo Rodriquez y su Orquesta Kongas and ask yourself whether this is an interpretation of salsa, or that this is salsa.

For more information on LA-33, go to www.la-33.com