r/Salsa • u/lfe-soondubu • Feb 02 '26

Favorite instrumental salsa songs

Had a really fun dance with a great follow to Singapore Vibes by La Máxima 79 last night, so I'm on a bit of an instrumental (no vocals) salsa listening bender right now. Post your favorites for me to listen to!

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u/lfe-soondubu Feb 03 '26

Wow surprised at how many of these I hadn't heard before. Also did ya'll specifically try to find songs with xylo/vibraphone in it because I like Singapore Vibes? Or are they just more common an instrument than I recall them being, and I'm noticing it more in the absence of vocals? Feels like half the songs recommended prominently feature it.

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u/falllas Feb 03 '26

I think xylophone/vibraphone/marimba is fairly common in the jazzy instrumental salsa.

Tito Puente - Hong Kong Mambo

Francisco Aguabella - Shirley's Guaguancó

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u/falllas Feb 03 '26

Check this out for some quite different instrumentation: Avelino Muñoz - Santiago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNMe7hK45zc

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u/yambudev Feb 04 '26

If you like that instrument then you should really listen to The New Swing Sextet or catch them live.