La Excelencia is the new generation of salsa dura bringing a modern vitality and social consciousness to the genre. These revolutionary salsa ambassadors take their bold new sounds to dancers and hardcore salsa fans worldwide, breaking the mold while remembering their roots. Their music is full of powerful arrangements of free-flowing horns and lively percussion (Latin Beat Magazine). The hard life of the barrio is reflected in La Excelencia’s music through their hardcore salsa sounds known as “salsa dura”.

La Excelencia is a 12-piece salsa orchestra that was started in 2005 by Julian Silva and Jose Vazquez-Cofresi. In 2006 La Excelencia released their first album 'Salsa Con Conciencia' described by the New York Times as "The real deal doesn’t show up that often, and here it is. Celebrate it". 'Salsa Con Conciencia' sold over 11,000 copies independently around the world. The demand for another album was realized in 2009 with the release of 'Mi Tumbao Social'; claimed by world salsa critics and disc-jockeys as the Best Salsa CD of 2009.

Following the successful world release of 'Mi Tumbao Social', La Excelencia was chosen to be on the cover of 'Latin Beat Magazine' with the headline reading "Young, raw, raging musical weapons of mass destruction..." A world tour would follow which would visit 16 countries and every performance would be sold out. The impact La Excelencia is making caught the attention of the Latin Music USA documentary and BBC Television who would choose La Excelencia to represent the "New Generation of Salsa Dura" at the world famous Barbican in London, UK. The concert sold out to capacity and was broadcast live on BBC; it would become a part of La Excelencia’s own unique stamp on salsa dura.

La Excelencia's music can be found on countless salsa/world music compilations, motions pictures, instructional DVDs, and can also be heard on radio stations and satellite radio both nationally and internationally. The orchestra continues to build momentum by garnering a loyal fan base worldwide. The demand for La Excelencia has made them one of the most sought out salsa orchestras in the world thanks to the dance community and the hardcore salsa music fans around the globe.