Short answers, pulled from the story.
The word salsa means sauce in the Spanish language and became the name of a global musical phenomenon. The connection traces back to 1930 when Ignacio Piñeiro composed the song Échale salsita to instruct his band to increase the tempo.
Johnny Pacheco and Jerry Masucci founded the recording company Fania Records in the late 1960s. They introduced many artists later identified with the salsa movement including Willie Colón, Celia Cruz, and Héctor Lavoe.
The standard percussion instruments in most salsa bands are bongos, congas, and timbales. These three drums function in similar ways to a traditional drum ensemble with the timbales playing the bell pattern and the congas playing the supportive drum part.
The Fania All-Stars sold out Yankee Stadium in 1971. This event marked a pivotal moment in the genre's history and helped legitimize the music in North American media.
The band Los Van Van led by bassist Juan Formell started developing songo in the late 1960s. Songo incorporated rhythmic elements from folkloric rumba as well as funk and rock to the traditional son.
Los Van Van were awarded the first ever Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album in 2000. This win cemented the genre's global legacy and recognized the band's long history of experimentation with different ensembles.