Carnegie Hall

For more than four decades, Grupo Niche has been one of the most recognized salsa orchestras in the world. Founded in the city of Bogotá, Colombia, by Jairo Varela in 1979, the ensemble temporarily relocated to Buenaventura on the Pacific coast before settling in Cali in 1983. The year before, Grupo Niche had its first international hit, “Buenaventura y Caney,” which led to a US tour. In 1984, Varela composed and produced “Cali Pachanguero,” a song that increased the group’s global prominence and was declared the official theme of the Feria de Cali.

A new era of Grupo Niche began in 1988, which led to such hits as “Nuestro Sueño” and “Cómo Podré Disimular.” Two years later, Varela produced Cielo de Tambores, the group’s most successful album to date. Songs such as “Una Aventura,” “Busca por Dentro,” “Se Pareció Tanto a Tí,” “Sin Sentimiento,” “Cali Ají,” and “Debiera Olvidarla” crossed borders and became undisputed salsa anthems.

By 1999, Varela independently released A Golpe de Folklore and later re-recorded all his hits. In 2001, he moved Grupo Niche to Miami.

After Varela suffered a heart attack in 2007, Grupo Niche embraced its ever evolving sound with songs like “Un Día Después” and “Robando Sueños.” In June 2012, Varela fulfilled one of his most cherished dreams when Grupo Niche first performed in Africa, marking a return journey in honor of the musicians’ ancestors. Two months later, Varela suffered a fatal heart attack. Numerous tributes from government officials and fans immediately followed, solidifying his status as a legend.

The passing of Varela marked the beginning of yet another era for Grupo Niche. Hundreds of unreleased songs either written in notebooks or recorded as demos were revisited and produced. Varela’s eldest daughter, Yanila, succeeded him as the group’s general manager. The frequency of international tours also increased, leading to a historic performance at Madison Square Garden in 2014 with El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.

The history of Grupo Niche continues to be written every day as a musical testament to Varela and his ongoing legacy. In 2020–2021, the ensemble’s album 40 earned both Grammy and Latin Grammy awards. Two years later, Grupo Niche won the Latin Grammy for Niche Sinfónico, produced by Jose Aguirre, and was also nominated for a Grammy in the Best Tropical Latin Album category.