N’Klabe: The Young Princes of Salsa

by Elena Alvarez-Ramirez
Feb 2007

N’Klabe is a young trio of fresh, energetic and enthusiastic voices who are aiming to erase the generation gap between salsa performers. Their first major label recording, 2005’s I Love Salsa, proved that they knew what they were doing. At a time when the Latin music industry seems consumed by reggaetón, it’s refreshing to see such a young trio — Felix, Ricardo and Hector — composing and singing songs that echo traditional salsa styles. Creating rich and exciting sounds and tasteful lyrics that are suitable for all generations, this group of young Puerto Rican performers have kicked into first gear and are on the fast lane to international success.N’Klabe recently talked with Batanga about where they started and their love for salsa.

“N’Klabe was born out of necessity, and surges from that necessity as a young advocate for the salsa genre,” says Felix (a.k.a. Felo). “I believe right now we may be the youngest group working in this genre. Salsa needed some youth.”

Why the name N’Klabe? “In all Caribbean music, the claveis the backbone of the rhythm. Whether you are singing or playing an instrument, if you aren’t on the clave beat, you are completely out of sync. Therefore, if you aren’t ‘in clave’ you’re nowhere.”

The group was formed when university students Felix and Hector crossed paths and decided to make music. Ricky found his way to N’Klabe later, through a mutual friend who told him they were looking for a third singer. 

            Hector and Felix grew up listening to salseros like Los Comunes, Tito Carlos, La Corporación Latina and Impacto Crea, among others. Ricky, however, who was born and raised in Chicago, recounts listening to other genres as a kid, “I remember riding around with my dad in his car and listening to groups like The Beatles, The Monkees and Jackson 5.” It wasn’t until his early adolescent years, when Marc Anthony came onto the scene, that Ricky began listening to salsa.

“At that time I was listening to everything, even opera. I used to sing opera,” he adds. Has he ever considered getting his feet wet with opera again, doing some type of opera-salsa fusions? “With opera? No, no!” he laughs. “The only time I’ll be getting my feet wet with opera is when I listen to it in the shower. Maybe as a hobby. The truth is that I’m a salsero at heart.”

Felix and Hector never imagined a career in the music industry, but Ricky has been chasing the dream since he was 4 years old. Before he joined N’Klabe, he spent time trying to find his place in the New York music scene. Ricky replaced Johnny Maldonado, who was N’Klabe’s third vocalist on their first album, Salsa Contra Viento y Marea, in 2004. At that point, Sony International took special interest in them and they released their second and third albums, I Love Salsa and I Love Salsa: Special Edition, both in 2005.The hit single, “I Love Salsa,” written by Victor Manuelle, was nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Tropical Song. When proposing the song to N’Klabe, Manuelle told the trio, “If you don’t like the song just let me know. If you think its garbage, just tell me, without hesitations.” They didn’t think it was garbage and neither did the rest of the world.
N’Klabe’s newest album, A Punto de Estallar: Salsa Approved, hit the streets on October 31. It features the talents of Cuban composer Jorge Luis Piloto, as well as the young Puerto Rican composer Yoel Henriquez.

Recorded with love and enthusiasm for salsa, the album has a medley of salsa variations representative of these muchachos. “This album has some romantic salsa songs as well as very danceable ones, and even a Spanglish track. I think the overall outcome of each arrangement is romantic, yet aggressive, and I’m sure our fans will appreciate it,” says Hector. The hit single “Ella Volvio” quickly climbed the charts this fall. The song is fun, gratifying, energetic, and catchy — designed to make even the shyest feet overcome fear.

Their tour for the new album began in September in Colombia. The fans in Cali welcomed N’Klabe with large crowds and open arms at a concert that also featured Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz, Victor Manuelle and El Conjunto Clasico.

Their tour continued with performances in the Virgin Islands, Mexico, Venezuela, and the Canary Islands in Spain.

“We deliver to our fans all that we love doing best,” says Felix, “and what we know best … is this music.

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