Willie Colón

Trombonist, composer and band leader, Willie Colón was one of Latin American music’s pioneers. Despite his initial critical reviews, Colón’s album "El Malo" has become famous as one of the first albums in showing the New York sound which rekindled an interest in Latin music during the seventies.

In an article full of praise for Colón’s influence, The Boston Globe writes "using trombones as guiding instruments (instead of trumpets and flutes as was the norm in Afro-Cuban groups); blending jazz, and typical jazz solos and harmonies, Colón, together with pianist and band leader, Eddie Palmieri, defined the sound of salsa." Colón has had a fundamental role in the careers of Latin musicians such as Rubén Blades, who was with Colón’s band in 1975 and Celia Cruz, for who Colón produced some albums, such as "Only they could have done this album" in 1977 and the highly successful duo "Celia y Willi" in 1981.

Colón also produced albums for Ismael Miranda, Sophy, Soledad Bravo and the late Héctor Lavoe, who sang with his band in the early 70’s. Inspired by the music of various cultures, Colón recorded with musicians such as Puerto Rican cuatro players, Yomo Toro and David Byrne. Colón’s composition, "Che Che Coli", an adaptation of a Ghanese children’s song, was used by Ntozake Shange in the musical comedy "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf". Besides eleven Grammy nominations and a Grammy award, Colón has received the CHUBB award from Yale University, the most prestigious award granted by the Ivy League school. Colón stood for U.S. Congress, representing New York’s 17th district in 1992
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Having begun to play the trumpet at age 12, Colón switched to the trombone two years later. His first recording took place in 1967 for the Futura de Al Santiago record label, which was unlucky as the label closed. Colón was much more successful when he signed on with Johnny Pacheco’s Fania label. When his singer couldn’t go to Colon’s first recording session for the label, Pacheco suggested Héctor Lavoe as a substitute.

This collaboration proved fruitful when two singles of Colón’s first two albums (El Malo, Guisando) – "Jazzy" and "I wish I had a watermelon" – became hits. Lavoe continued being an essential band member in Colón’s group until the mid-70’s when his growing addiction caused him to miss or be late to various concerts. Although his participation in the band formally ended in 1975, Colón and Lavoe continued to work together. Lavoe’s last album, Strikes Back, was released in 1987 and was produced by Colón.

In 1975, Colón added music theory, composition and orchestration studies to his Latin Jazz All Stars directing work. His growing knowledge apparently bore fruit. In 1978, Colón was named musician, producer and trombonist of the year in a reader’s poll organized by Latin New York. Three years later, he received an award as "Musician of the Year" and his album Fantasmas was named "Album of the Year".

Although they met backstage before a concert in Panama in 1969, Colón and Blades did not work together until five years later. When he was working on the record "The Good - The Bad - The Ugly", Colón asked Blades to sing his song "El Cazanguero", which reflected Blades’s experiences as a law student working in a Panamanian prison. The recording session was so satisfactory that Blades went on to being a full time member of Colón’s band, after Lavoe’s departure.

His album "Siembra" was the best selling album on the Fania catalogue. Despite his success, Blades filed a complaint against the company president Jerry Mascucci for money issues. Although Colón recorded two solo albums –" Baguine de Angelitos Negros" in 1977 and "Solo" en 1979 – and Blades recorded "Maestra Vida" in 1980 as a soloist, neither managed to be as commercially successful as with their work together. In 1981, both musicians got together once more when Blades sang back-up in "Fantasmas", Colón’s soloist album.

The following year they collaborated in the Grammy winning album "Canciones del Solar de Los Aburridos", which included the hits "Tiburón", "Ligia Elena", "Te están buscando". Their work together ended after both worked on the movie "The Last Fight". The separation did not end on good terms and both continued upset with each other until they reunited for a concert at the Hiram Bithorn in San Juan in March 1992.

Toward the end of the 80’s Colón formed a new band, Legal Aliens, with younger musicians. After signing on with Sony, Colón and his band recorded "American Color" in 1990 and "Honra y Cultura" in 1991. Two years later he recorded "Hecho en Puerto Rico", with a multi-star band which included ex members of Fania All Stars, Papo Lucca and Bobby Valentín.

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