[quote]

The song list is especially good... I was just about to say that the only thing you could improve is to put a song list on the website, and you've beat me to it.

Well, I guess I just wanted to write to say keep up the good work.. your
lessons are keeping me warm during this cold Canadian winter! :)

Sophia G.

[/quote]

If you haven't already, skim through the first tutorial of the Salsa: Ear Training programme - Cueing the start of the dance cycle so that you can identify the tumbao moderno pattern on the conga. As a beginner, the songs that you'd want to practice to should be in the 140-165bpm tempo range and have clear tumbao moderno.

There are plenty of track and album recommendations available on the internet, so you may want to do a trawl to see what you can come up with. I've provided some of my own recommendations below, but remember that music taste is highly personal and you should find music that inspires you, as well as satisfying the above criteria.

Africando All Stars - Mandali

1. Mandali (172 bpm)
2. Miye Na We (203 bpm)
3. Ntoman (192 bpm)
4. Hwomevonon (185 bpm)
5. Mopao (169 bpm)
6. Pepita (196 bpm)
7. Sey (183 bpm)
8. Betece (191 bpm)
9. Carpintero (187 bpm)
10. Scandalo (145 bpm)
11. Son Fo (188 bpm)
12. Doni Doni (184 bpm)

Fania All Stars - The Best of the Fania All Stars (2 CD Set)

Disk 1:

1. Ponte Duro (221 bpm)
2. El Raton (+91 bpm)
3. Descarga Fania (214 bpm)
4. En Orbita (228 bpm)
5. Mi Gente (206 bpm)
6. Tres Lindas Cubanas (186 bpm)
7. Naci Moreno (219 bpm)
8. Son Cuero Y Boogaloo (154 bpm)
9. Lo Que Pide La Gente (170 bpm)
10. Descarga En Cuba (218 bpm)
11. Por Eso Yo Toco La Salsa (167 bpm)

Disk 2:

1. Soy Guajiro (143 bpm)
2. Me Gusta El Son (187 bpm)
3. El Rey De La Punctualidad (205 bpm)
4. Soul Makossa (121 bpm)
5. Nina (217 bpm)
6. Chanchullo (139 bpm)
7. Awake (136 bpm)
8. Usando El Coco (150 bpm)
9. Bilongo (182 bpm)
10. Llevale (210 bpm)
11. Steady (130 bpm)
12. Guajira (115 bpm)

Various Artists - Beginner's Guide To Salsa Vol.1 (3 CD Set)

Disk 1:

1. Latin New York - De La Fe, Alfredo (174 bpm)
2. A Puerto Rico - Valdes, Valentin (185 bpm)
3. Djobi Djoba - Fania All Stars (197 bpm)
4. Noche De Rumberos - Cruz, Miguel Y Grupo Skin (203 bpm)
5. Cuanto Tienes Cuanto Vales - Arrabella (196 bpm)
6. Amor Para Mi - Valoy, Cuco (184 bpm)
7. Las Parabolas - Ramirez, Louie (195 bpm)
8. Amor En La Arena - Pacheco, Johnny & Pete 'El Conde' Rodriguez (194 bpm)
9. Esa Negra - Cabrera, Jorge Y Su Tres (187 bpm)
10. Rococo - Bongo-Logic (227 bpm)

Disk 2:

1. La Cacharra - Bosch, Jimmy (202 bpm)
2. Xiomara - De La Fe, Alfredo (201 bpm)
3. La Rebellion - Raulin (201 bpm)
4. Somos La Fuerza Latina - Somos 21 (±230 bpm)
5. La Musica Esa Mi Vida - Spanish Harlem Orchestra (188 bpm)
6. Majestad Antilliana - Tipica 73 (201 bpm)
7. Pa' Curubande Yo Voy - Los Brillianticos (201 bpm)
8. Porque Adore - Truko & Zaperoko (199 bpm)
9. Mi Gente - Lavoe, Hector (218 bpm)
10. Que Bueno Baila Usted - Puente, Tito (216 bpm)

Disk 3:

1. Mi Palo Pa' Rumba - Palmieri, Eddie (210 bpm)
2. No Hay Amigo - Harlow, Larry Orquesta (203 bpm)
3. Coco My My - Tambu (216 bpm)
4. En Las Delicious - Cubanismo (211 bpm)
5. Moreno Soy - Sonora Poncena (213 bpm)
6. Indestructible - Barretto, Ray (212 bpm)
7. Vete I Pregona - Alberto, Jose 'El Canario' (212 bpm)
8. Quimbara - Cruz, Celia (223 bpm)
9. Salsa Con Coco - Pochy y su Cocoband (226 bpm)
10. La Llorana - Sex Appeal (212 bpm)

Various Artists - Salsa Clasica

1. Juliana - Cuco Valoy (172 bpm)
2. Murio el Sonero - Cuco Valoy (181 bpm)
3. Mariana Engracia - Cuco Valoy (173 bpm)
4. Blancas Margaritas - Johnny Ventura (144 bpm)
5. Salsa Conmigo - Johnny Ventura (187 bpm)
6. Guajira - Johnny Ventura (111 bpm))
7. Sancocho - Grupo Sancocho (204 bpm)
8. Dos y dos son quatro - Jorge Cabrera (186 bpm)
9. Ven pa' la loma - Luis Varona (123 bpm)
10. Noche de rumbero - Miguel Cruz y Skins (203 bpm)
11. Se Fue Mi Negra - Orquestra el Equipo (173 bpm)
12. Dile la verdad - Victor Cruz y su Orquesta (191 bpm)
13. La vida continua - Grupo Doble R (123 bpm)
14. La rebelion - Raulin (201 bpm)
15. Marcela - La Familia Andre (236 bpm)
16. Chotorra - Madera Fina (189 bpm)
17. Vete vete - Pochy y su Cocoband (±139 bpm)

Various Artists - Salsa Fresca

1. Quitate la Mascara - Hansel Martinez (188 bpm)
2. Pa' Bravo Yo - Pupy Santiago (186 bpm)
3. Bailando - Frankie Ruiz (185 bpm)
4. Acabo de Llegar - Alex Leon (190 bpm)
5. Idilio - Willie Colón (186 bpm)
6. No Me Acostumbro - Rey Ruiz (171 bpm)
7. Una Aventura - Grupo Niche (185 bpm)
8. Bandolera - Johnny Ray Y Salsa Con Clase (174 bpm)
9. Esos Tus Ojos Negros - Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez (184 bpm)
10. Esa Muñeca - Willie Rosario (184 bpm)
11. Lo Que Paso Entre Tu y Yo...Paso - Luis Enrique (175 bpm)
12. Que Manera de Quererte - Gilberto Santa Rosa (182 bpm)
13. Lluvia - Eddie Santiago (166 bpm)
14. Amor Lunatico - Giro (192 bpm)
15. No Tires la Primera Piedra - Tommy Olivencia (194 bpm)