La Excelencia

La Excelencia is an eleven piece salsa dura band from New York City founded in 2005 by percussionists Julian Silva and Jose Vazquez-Cofresi. The band's music has a salsa dura style, with themes incorporating immigration, poverty, and discrimination. La Excelencia recorded and released three albums in their first seven years. The group disbanded in 2012, with Vazquez-Confresi and some of the membership reforming as Orquesta SCC. The band reunited in 2017 under the direction of Silva to start working on their 4th album, "Machete."

Current

 * Julian Silva - Owner/Producer/Composer/Arranger/Timbales (2005-2012, 2018–present)
 * Luis Arona - Bass (2005-2006, 2018–present)
 * Ronald Prokopez - Trombone (2005-2012, 2018–present)
 * Mike Engstrom - Trombone (2010-2012, 2018–present)
 * Willie Rodriguez - Piano (2005-2012, 2018–present)
 * Jonathan Powell - Trumpet (2007-2012, 2018–present)
 * Gilberto Velazquez - Vocals (2008-2010, 2018–present)
 * Nerio Matheus - Congas (2022-present)
 * Nestor Villar - Bongos/Cowbell (2011-2012, 2018–present)
 * Danny Enrique - Vocals (2023–present)

Former

 * Jose Vazquez-Cofresi - Former co-owner/Composer/Congas (2005-2012)
 * Jack Davis - Trombone (2005-2008)
 * Charles Dilone - Bongos /Cowbell (2005-2012)
 * Sam Hoyt - Trumpet (2005-2008)
 * Rene Leslie - Vocals (2005-2006)
 * Hector Luis Pagan - Vocals (2005-2006)
 * Edwin Perez - Composer/Vocals (2005-2012)
 * Jorge Bringas - Bass (2007-2012)
 * Miki Hirose - Trumpet (2007-2012)
 * Tokunori Kajiwara – Arranger/Trombone (2007-2012)
 * Junior Beltran - Background Vocals (2010-2012)
 * Yuniel Jimenez - Tres/Background Vocals (2010-2012)
 * Jonathan Gomez - Congas (2019)

Discography

 * Salsa Con Conciencia (2006)
 * Mi Tumbao Social (2009)
 * Ecos Del Barrio (2012)
 * Machete (2020)

Single

 * Salsa Na'Ma (2019)