Victor's Story...

Well I was born into an enviroment where I was surrounded by
Salsa so I have always been a fan. However, what began to
change me into an addict was the fact that I became a DJ.
At first, I decided to DJ for the fun of partying and meeting people. Slowly Salsa started to captivate me. I started to find it very difficult to buy anything else that wasn't Salsa.

Through my X-girl friend I met another DJ (Eric). Eric, aside from
being a DJ, also worked with a Salsa band called Los Hermanos
Colon. I met them and became interested in learning about Salsa
from the perspective of the artist. I became good friends with them and eventually I began helping them with promotion. This further deepened me in Salsa "usage". I began collecting Salsa and
anything related to it. I would read all the credits on the covers of
my music so as to learn who was behind my music. At this point I
was already hooked hoplessly but never fear I got "worse". With
Los Hermanos Colon I had the honor to meet Tito Puente and
Celia Cruz in New Jersey during Hispanic Heritage Month. They
had declared the day oficial Tito Puente and Celia Cruz Day. This
triggered in me an interest in learning about Salsa's past. I am a
Spanish Major and through my major I study a lot about hispanic
culture and history.

The more I studied the more Salsa began to fit in and the more I
became fascinated by it. Finally, I was presented with the oppurtunity to combine both these interests. I chose Salsa's Origin
and Development as the topic for my research paper in class.
With this endeavor in mind I began reading about the music, interviewing Salsa figures, and most important of all browsing the web. On the web I came across many people who helped me in my research and encouraged me to complete the project for other purposes besides school. I began posting regularly on Salsa Japan's Salsa BBS where I continuosly put my knowledge to the test. Presently I am hopeless. I will die a serious Salsa addict. I am on a high that will last a lifetime !

Victor can be reached at vhparedes@hotmail.com