Orquesta SCC

Orquesta SCC / La Excelencia
From Left to Right: Yuniel Jimenez, [Edwin Perez], Ronald Prokopez, Charles Dilone, Jorge Bringas, Matt Hilgenberg, Rafi Makiel, Christopher Sanchez, Edgar Pantoja-Aleman, [Jose Vazquez-Cofresi], Jesse Alfonso
Background information
Origin	New York City
Genres	Salsa dura salsa music
Years active	2013 to present was known as La Excelencia from 2005–2012
Labels	Salsa Dura Ent. / HWC Productions INC (independent)
Associated acts	La Excelencia
Website	www.orqscc.com

Orquesta SCC is a salsa dura orchestra based in New York City. The band was created by owners Jose Vazquez-Cofresi and Edwin Perez in 2013 out of a reorganization of former band; La Excelencia that ran from 2005-2012. Orquesta SCC, whose acronym stands for Salsa Con Conciencia (salsa music with conscience) have made it their mission to make music that benefits society in more ways than sound alone can achieve. Orquesta (orchestra) SCC are made up of 11 pieces, making them a modern big band by contemporary standards. They are well known and respected for shunning the traditional suit-and-tie uniform of former-day salsa players, as well as for breaking from many unnecessary traditions in order to recreate the genuine Latin style and sound in a manner that befits the modern era of music. A key component to this new, cutting-edge mode is their attention to lyrical themes, which often deal with the issues and complexities of modern society.

In 2000, Jose Vazquez-Cofresi moved to New York City with a promise to sign a salsa CD recording deal with ex-Fania Records and ex-RMM Records & Video employees, including Johnny Pacheco as a music consultant and Herman Rodriguez-Bajandas; the company preferred to invest in the reggaetón boom instead. During this period, conguero-composer Jose Vazquez-Cofresi met lead vocalist-composer Edwin Perez. The two performed together in Vazquez-Cofresi first band Los Calientes playing the local New York salsa scene from 2001-2004. In 2005 Vazquez-Cofresi and Perez would brainstorm a new evolution for salsa along with other founding members; percussionist Charles Dilone, pianist Willy Rodriguez, trombone player Ronalad Prokopez that would become La Excelencia. Vazquez-Cofresi and Perez with others began to work on the band's first album Salsa Con Conciencia (Salsa with Awareness/ Conscience) and under the label Handle With Care Productions, owned by Jose Vazquez-Cofresi, the album would be released in 2006. In 2009 La Excelencia released Mi Tumbao Social (My Social Drumbeat) which would be featured on the BBC and PBS special; Latin Music USA held at the Barbican Centre in London in 2010. La Excelenca began to record the album Ecos Del Barrio in 2011. While in the studio founding members felt the arrangements and sound were not based on the original sound of the band. Shortly after the album's release the founding members decided to end La Excelencia in 2012 with a final world tour.