As a rooster crowed from a house next to the park, an upbeat salsa tune emanated from a window across the street.

Mr. Guerra has so many that he grouped some of them - his bachatas and his salsa tunes - into medleys.

Then he hopped islands for his preferred style: merengue, which comes from the Dominican Republic, though he still sings a few ballads and salsa tunes.

When touring the United States the All Stars performed arrangements that began very much like salsa tunes, but they would also employ breakdowns about half way through the pieces.

It is still common today for an African artist to record a salsa tune, and add their own particular regional touch to it.

Another note is that the song "That's Okay" has more of a salsa tune than pop.

And everywhere, it seemed, was the sound of cellphones, one ringing out with a salsa tune, another with bars from Brahms.

"We are out here on the vanguard of technology," Mr. Fuentes said in his bar, a tourist haunt with tiki lights and salsa tunes.

Like an infectious salsa tune, Patria immediately had the whole city dancing.