Johnny Pacheco

When, in 1961, West Side Story hit the screens after conquering Broadway, it was the entire Puerto Rican community of New York, ostracized and deprived of the American dream, that feverishly gained visibility. From Spanish Harlem to the Bronx, where poverty, drugs and gangs are rampant, Latino music and dance will then carry the identity revolution, the barrio setting itself on fire and undulating to Afro-Caribbean rhythms, led by "the king of timbales" Tito Puente. Soon mixed with soul, jazz and blues of the black neighbors, who share suffering and stigma of racism, the genres multiply: mambo, rumba, cha-cha-cha, merengue, boogaloo. All the Hispanics of Central and South America joined the movement.

More than a genre, salsa was a cultural movement that arose in a time of need for strengthening the Latino culture and spread across the world with such force that, 50 years later, is still moving the feet of dancers in the most inhospitable corners world. At the heart of the movement is the figure of Johnny Pacheco, know as one of the great musical legacies responsible for salsa music.

Hosted by Pop and Latin singing sensations Gloria Estefan and Marc Anthony, this all-star tribute honors the undisputed Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz, an artist of immeasurable standing whose career has spanned more than five decades. Her music and incomparable charisma have touched the hearts and souls of millions of people from every race, nationality, and culture throughout the world. The Queen of Salsa has carried her title with class and distinction; her powerful voice and electrifying rhythm have garnered more than 60 worldwide recognitions, multiple gold and platinum records, and a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Her boundless enthusiasm, genuine warmth, and deep-seated humanitarianism have made Celia Cruz the music industry's most accomplished and revered performer and the world's most notable ambassador of Hispanic culture.

Crowned the "Queen of Salsa," Cuban-born singer Celia Cruz performs in this concert video featuring Latin jazz legend Tito Puente, La India, Johnny Pacheco and the RMM Orchestra. The flamboyant Cruz and her talented friends heat up the dance hall with songs such as "La Vida Es un Carnival," "La Voz de Experiencia," "Quimbara," "Babalu," "Siboney," "El Cumbachera," an improvised version of "Guantanamera" and Cruz's signature song, "Bemba Colora."

A testimony about Afro-Cuban popular music from its origins to the present day.

A young woman wanders around New York City and stumbles across a number of strange characters and settings that represent the "underground" areas of the city. She sees stand up comedy in Central Park, a prostitution auction, a voodoo ceremony, an S&M club, and a number of very interesting performance artists. These are just a few of the sights and sounds of New York that she encounters.