Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Two legendary salsa bands headline Miramar’s Festival de la Zalsa 2
“Salsa” spelled with a “z” rather than an “s” gives the upcoming Zalsa Festival that extra sizzle.
And things are bound to smolder when two legendary salsa bands — Grupo Niche from Colombia and La Sonora Ponceña from Puerto Rico — headline Festival de la Zalsa 2 on Saturday at Miramar Regional Park Amphitheater.
The first Zalsa Festival was held in Miramar in May with another Latin institution, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. About 1,800 people attended the outdoor festival and promoters expect more than 2,000 this time.
“The first Zalsa Festival was an experience that we discovered,” said the event’s executive producer, Giovanni Arana, referring to the challenges of organizing a live music event during the pandemic. “Since this is an open-air venue, the people who came felt very comfortable.”
Plans call for making Festival de la Zalsa a biannual affair, with another close to Valentine’s Day in 2022, Arana said. “We want to celebrate the best of our music and culture in a safe and family friendly environment.”
Salsa fans will get a double treat on Saturday with Grupo Niche, which this year won its first Grammy for the anniversary album “40,” and La Sonora Ponceña, which has been making music for 67 years.
Both legendary musical groups reflect the legacy and the evolution of tropical Latin dance music.
Grupo Niche is coming off a particularly strong winning streak. The band’s seminal “40” album — which won a Grammy and a Latin Grammy — pays tribute to its founder, the late Colombian musician Jairo Varela. On Spotify, “40” was streamed 10 million times this year.
Considered one of salsa’s greatest lyricists, Varela
created most of Grupo Niche’s enduring hits, like “Cali Pachanguero” and “Cielo de Tambores,” since starting the band in Bogota in 1979. Varela died at age 62 in 2012.
“He was a man who dedicated his life to his music and his ethnicity,” said his daughter Yanila Varela in a statement. Varela is now the band’s CEO.
“With his compositions and his creativity, he made Grupo Niche an international success and he opened the door for many artists and groups that followed in his footsteps,” added Varela.
The second headliner — La Sonora Ponceña — is known for its longevity and its status as one of Latin America’s most beloved dance bands. It was founded in 1954 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, by musician and bandleader Enrique “Quique” Lucca — who died in 2016 at age 103. In the ’70s, “Don Quique” turned the band over to his son, Enrique Arsenio “Papo” Lucca. Under the son’s helm, La Sonora Ponceña achieved its greatest commercial success with hits like “Fuego en el 23” and “Hacheros Pa’ un
palo.”
Over the past six decades, La Sonora has accumulated a long list of awards and recognitions, and Papo Lucca is considered one of the genre’s greatest living pianists, along with giants like Eddie Palmieri. Earlier this year, La Sonora’s album “Hegemonía Musical” was a finalist in Billboard Latino’s Tropical Album category.
Festival Zalsa 2 also will include several local bands, among them La Orquesta Fuego with special guests Lucy Grau and Diego Gale, and David Lucca y Los Clásicos with Javier Marrero and Edwin “El Calvito” Reyes. Spanish-language radio personalities Joe Santos, “El Búho Loco” and Archie Mercado will serve as master of ceremonies.
The music is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. when the festival gates open. The program calls for La Sonora Ponceña taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. and Grupo Niche appearing at 9:30 p.m. The festival is slated to end at 11 p.m., Arana said.
“We are going to celebrate the best of our music and our culture in a healthy and family atmosphere,” said
Arana. “Long live ‘la Salsa’!”
Tickets start at $40 at ticketmaster.com. VIP tables close to the stage can be reserved by calling 954-7164338.
The Miramar Regional Park Amphitheater is 16801 Miramar Parkway.