Taking their name from the term "en clave," a reference to the heartbeat of the Afro-Cuban rhythm section,
N'Klabe declares that they are all about salsa and nothing else. With an honorable goal, to bring the love of salsa to a disenchanted generation,
N'Klabe sets out to turn the tides with
I Love Salsa!, their debut CD for Sony International. Lead vocalists Héctor José Torres Donato, Félix Javier Torres, and Johnny Maldonado Díaz have made a lot of progress toward that end, with a number one hit on Latin charts to their credit, "Amor de una Noche."
N'Klabe is a radio success and a favorite with younger audiences. With a look even too clean-cut to be called boy band, and a sound that's even cleaner, the salsa that they love is all by the book. The arrangements, vocal/instrumental performance, and repertoire are all woefully unremarkable. Though not a strong selection for those already familiar with the style, this squeaky-clean debut performance has found a home with a new audience.
N'Klabe has gone to great lengths, from the album's cover art to the title cut's coro, to reach a yet untapped generation of salsa lovers. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez