Grupo Niche

Colombian salsa/tropical band Grupo Niche was founded in 1980 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Jairo Varela and Alexis Lozano, the band’s trombone player and arranger. ∙ Their breakout album, 1981’s Querer es Poder, featured their first salsa hit, “Buenaventura y Caney,” and led to their debut US tour. ∙ Known for their energetic dance music, Grupo Niche became the first Colombian orchestra to perform at Madison Square Garden, as part of the 1986 World Salsa Festival. ∙ The group played a concert in front of one million fans at Lima, Peru’s Campo de Marte park in 1989. ∙ Tocando el Cielo Con Las Manos, their first release after Varela’s death, reached No. 10 on Billboard’s Tropical Albums chart in 2013. ∙ They’ve earned multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations over the years, with a Best Salsa Album Latin Grammy win in 2020 for 40. ∙ In 2020, Colombian dance company Delirio held a virtual party featuring thousands of salseros performing the band’s signature tune, “Cali Pachanguero.”