Mass Rumba Radio Station streams salsa, rumba and guaguancó around the clock, and it does so from Lawrence, Massachusetts, one of the few cities in New England where Latinos are the majority. It bills itself as "the number one Salsa University in Salsa, Rumba, and Guaguancó," and the schedule backs the boast up: dance-floor salsa, live DJ mixes and Afro-Cuban rhythms with no filler.
What You Hear on Mass Rumba
The station's own site, massrumba.com, describes 24/7 salsa music, guaguancó and Latin music online radio, with live DJ mixes on the stream. Around the radio it runs a members' club with exclusive mixes and a blog of stories and news, plus salsa dance courses and merchandise that celebrate the culture. Its invitation, "¡Únete a la celebración y deja que la salsa te mueva!", sums up the tone: this is music to move to. Online Radio Box lists it in Lawrence and files it under salsa.
Why Guaguancó Belongs in the Name
Rumba grew up in northern Cuba, mainly in Havana and Matanzas in the late nineteenth century, built on African traditions and Spanish-influenced call-and-response singing, according to Wikipedia's article on Cuban rumba. It has three traditional forms: the slow, gestural yambú, the fast and virtuosic columbia, and guaguancó, which features a flirtatious dialogue between dancers. UNESCO inscribed Cuban rumba as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016. Salsa took much of its rhythmic backbone from this world, which is why a station devoted to salsa naturally tips its hat to guaguancó.
A City That Suits the Sound
Lawrence has changed enormously since its mill-town days. According to Wikipedia's entry on the city, it is around 81 percent Hispanic, mostly of Dominican and Puerto Rican origin, and it is the only city in New England with a Latino majority. Dominican and Puerto Rican families began arriving in numbers in the late 1960s, drawn by affordable housing and a tradition of welcoming immigrants, as described in a history of immigration to Lawrence. Both communities have deep ties to salsa and Caribbean dance music, so a salsa station from Lawrence is right at home.
Not to Be Confused With Boston's Rumba 97.7
Search for "Rumba" in Massachusetts and you will also find WZRM, the iHeartMedia station branded Rumba 97.7, a Boston-market Spanish contemporary hits outlet. Mass Rumba is a separate, independent web station with a narrower focus on salsa and Afro-Cuban roots, the kind of specialist channel that keeps its own school of listeners.
Listen to Mass Rumba Free on Radio Shuffle
Tune in to Mass Rumba Radio Station on Radio Shuffle. No account, no app, no fee. Press play and the salsa starts.