The Hector Lavoe Discography

4/30/2008: IMPORTANT MESSAGE: I've noticed some people are still downloading these Lavoe albums, which is more than fine by me. But, there are a number of comments of people asking me to reupload the albums.
1) The problem isn't that the links are down, but that Divshare sets a monthly downloading limit of 50gb. Once, this limit is reached, no more downloads can happen until it resets at the end of the month. I don't have time to move the albums over to another host, so there's not much I can do about it. Generally, the downloads reset the 5th of every month. Just be patient, and also be considerate: if you're just downloading Lavoe albums to let them gather dust, then consider tapering your downloads to let some other people get a chance.
2) It's come to my attention that the Day 4 albums are actually down. I'll try to get these up when I get a chance.
Enjoy!

No doubt many of you have heard about the biopic El Cantante, a film about the life of the legendary Puerto Rican salsa singer Hector Lavoe, starring Marc Anthony as the man himself and Jennifer Lopez as his wife Puchi aka Nilda Rosado. Directed by Leon Ichaso (who is no stranger to biographical films about controversial Puerto Rican artists, such as Miguel Pinero), the film is, I am very proud to say, a creation of the Latino community, as much of a Latin thing as the music it will no doubt feature. Trailer below.



Admittedly, I don't expect much from a big-budget film starring Anthony or Lopez. It's simply not my taste. However, the fact that a film is being made about an icon who is virtually unknown outside of Latino communities is astounding. Ask yourself: how many people walking down the street have ever heard of Hector Lavoe? Very few. While I would like to see the life of Hector Lavoe receive a more astute perspective with more artistic integrity, I am still happy to see even the Hollywood giants turning their heads and nodding to Puerto Rican culture. I remember being in Puerto Rico right after the "Puerto Rican invasion" of Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, etc., and hearing the same consensus: it may not be the best, but Puerto Rico is a rich culture and something to be proud of, so the exposure counts for something. That being said, El Cantate has garnered my support, and you can be sure I'll be in theaters on opening day, August 3.

In anticipation of the Hector Lavoe fad that will no doubt precipitate in the wake of El Cantante, I present to you all, in a series of posts, the entire accessible Hector Lavoe discography. While Lavoe did earlier work with artists such as the Kako All-Stars and Johnny Pacheco, I will begin with his tenure as the singer of Willie Colon's band in 1967, his first real break and the most appropriate departure point for contextualizing Hector Lavoe as he will be seen in El Cantante. Inevitably, this means that these posts will be, in part, a sampling of the Willie Colon discography as well. Posts will be chronological, and at least one installment will be uploaded per day as edits to this same post. Because Hector Lavoe is one of the more well known Latin artists I've featured on my blog and information about him is readily available, I'll be keeping biographical information to a minimum. By August 3, the entire discography will be posted. Be sure to check back often.

Day 1:

Willie Colon - El Malo (Fania, 1967)


Hector Lavoe was introduced to Willie Colon by the latter's Fania labelmate Johnny Pacheco. Because Pacheco already had a singer in Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, he urged Willie Colon to give Hector Lavoe a shot. The result was the humble beginning of one of the greatest salsa duos in history. On El Malo, Colon & Lavoe still hold on to the boogaloo and Latin soul sound so popular at the time, though you can hear hints of their later salsa style breaking through. A great album, and even more astounding when you consider that Colon is only 17 years old, and his band (including Lavoe) are mostly teenagers. As rebellious in its day as Charlie Parker was in his.

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Willie Colon - The Hustler (Fania, 1968)


Hector steps up to become main vocalist on Colon's second album. The production is a little rough, but you can really hear Colon feeling out his trombone lines with a raw, edgy tone. Hector Lavoe recalls the style of Ismael Rivera on Eso Se Baila Asi, and gives a solid performance with Que Lio, as if anticipating his hit song El Cantante.

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Day 2:

Willie Colon - Guisando (Fania, 1969)

The addition of black pianist Mark Diamond adds a new side to Willie Colon's raucous third album. This also adds a rather sketchy dimension to the name of the fifth cut (I Wish I Had A Watermelon), but Diamond nonetheless puts forth some smokin' piano with gritty Colon trombone to match. The slowed-down and dirty No Me Den Candela is one of my favorites in all of Colon's discography, featuring some great energy from Lavoe. Colon considers this album cover to be his second favorite, and certainly continues the gangster image that made him both hugely controversial and a huge hit.

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Willie Colon - Cosa Nuestra (Fania, 1969)


Crucial Colon! Released the same year as Guisando, many consider Cosa Nuestra to be his first real masterpiece, and with good reason. Pretty much every song on here is a hit, and some of the songs have become colloquial phrases among us Puerto Ricans, such as "te conozco bacalao," as if to slyly say "I know you, I know what you're up to, I know you better than that." Ausencia was one of my first exposures to Hector Lavoe, and remains a favorite to this day, a gripping lament with a powerful breakdown and vocal performance. Essential Latin music for beginners and veterans alike!

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Day 3:

Willie Colon - La Gran Fuga (Fania, 1970)


Certainly Colon's most versatile work thus far, La Gran Fuga continues to develop the salsa sound while throwing in some unpredictable (and fun) nuggets. Growing up, I clearly remember hearing family members throwing out the "I-ata, ay yo yo" chant of the first cut, based on an African children's lullaby. Pa' Colombia and Barrunto are classics in the by now clearly emerging Colon style, and Abuelita features a hot breakdown that consumes almost half of the song. As always, Hector Lavoe continues to shine. Excellent stuff, and a great follow up to the classic Cosa Nuestra.

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Willie Colon - Asalto Navideno (Fania, 1971)


While most artists these days release Christmas albums that trip over their own gimmicks, in 1971 Colon released a holiday scorcher that would prove essential in his discography. It's not Christmas in a Puerto Rican household if you're not blasting this album. Just listen to the epic introduction and you know you're listening to something special. It features what may very well be Colon's biggest hit, La Murga, a catchy, furious trombone romp through the world of Panamanian dance. In keeping with the tradition of Puerto Rican Christmas music, the album is heavily tinged with jibaro (Puerto Rican folk music), thanks to Yomo Toro on the four-stringed cuatro. This is Yomo Toro's first outing with Colon, and would prove a major launching point for his career. Lavoe belts out a gorgeous ode to his native island in Canto A Borinquen, utilizing a very traditional form of lyrical verse, almost as distinct to the Puerto Rican ear as a limerick. Similarly, Esta Navidad kicks off with an equally traditional cuatro riff. I can't mention Asalto without mentioning the closer, Vive Tu Vida Contento, a song of humorously crude, but simple advice within an unforgettable chorus. Roughly translated, it states: Live your life content; that is how you'll live well; because if you rush through life you'll die but if you stay put, you'll still die. I can't emphasize enough how so many of these songs have become a part of the Puerto Rican consciousness; in our parrandas (somewhat like Christmas caroling), we sing older Christmas jibaros in the same breath as these Colon classics. Full of many great memories, I hope this album becomes as timeless for you as it has been for me. And no matter your nationality, don't be afraid to play it loud at Christmas time.

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Day 4:

Willie Colon - El Juicio (Fania, 1972)


To me, El Juicio is a continuation of the previous year's La Gran Fuga--a collection of songs that explore new Colon territory anchored by solid salsa hits. The almost goofy Ah-Ah O-No, the santeria-tinged Aguanile, or the jazzy, slow tempo closer Pan y Agua find Colon and Lavoe stretching beyond their salsa repertoire. Nonetheless, they always come back to the salsa and horn lines with hits like Pirana and the extended Timbalero. You'll hear Lavoe say "Para ti (for you) motherflower" on Sonando Despierto, referencing an altercation in a nightclub where Lavoe's at times unprofessional, clown-like stage presence put him on the bad side of an audience member who requested a danza. When Hector not only refused but proceeded to make the fan a victim of some not-well-taken sarcasm, the fan assaulted Lavoe and nearly sent him to the hospital. The "para ti motherflower" line (the last word being an obvious cover up for the more vulgar version) prefaces a danza section written into the song at the last minute, and is a sarcastic dedication to the violent fan. Not as impressive as La Gran Fuga, but very much worth your attention.

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Willie Colon - Asalto Navideno Vol. 2 (Fania, 1972)


On the heels of the first Asalto Navideno, Colon and Lavoe put out another Christmas album the following year. Unfortunately, it lacked the hits of the first Asalto, and somewhat fell flat on its face. Still, the album is full of Christmas energy and once again features Yomo Toro's cuatro skills. Check out the furious La Banda (in a sense the cousin of La Murga), or the upbeat rendition of a lyrically plaintive Christmas classic, Arbolito. Sure to get any parranda going.

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Day 5:

Willie Colon - Lo Mato (Fania, 1973)


Featuring Colon's most infamous cover, this album is fully titled Lo Mato....Si No Compras Este LP (I'll kill him.....if you don't buy this LP). Not that Colon was getting desperate, as the cover/title are just a humorous extension of the gangster image that had followed him since his earliest albums. In spite of Asalto 2's commercial failure, Colon was still riding a wave of new found creativity and fame and you can really hear it on this album. The arrangements and production are his sharpest yet. Calle Luna Calle Sol has the quality of his later work with Ruben Blades, particularly on Canciones Del Solar De Los Aburridos. As always, the dual-trombone assault leads a number of classic jams such as Todo Tiene Su Final and the slowed-down Senora Lola. There's always room for folk forms as well, on Guajira Ven or one of my favorites, the upbeat El Dia De Mi Suerte, which finds Lavoe at his peak. Lavoe has truly settled in as a front man by this point, and this album finds him at his most natural and energetic yet. Great stuff.

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Willie Colon - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (Fania, 1975)


Much like on La Gran Fuga or El Juicio, Colon is trying out a new set of tricks on The Good, only this time the experimentation is even greater in scope. New production values, a host of new styles from rock to bossa nova, and Colon, who went on a year long hiatus (some say because he was getting tired of being artistically constrained) takes over main vocal duties and nearly removes the two-trombone sound altogether. Ruben Blades makes his first appearance with Colon on El Cazanguero, a heavy-handed and rather unimpressive debut before becoming main vocalist. The album is also Colon's most jibaro since the first Asalto, with Yomo Toro playing at his best. That being said, it can be an unsettling listen if you only swear by Cosa Nuestra or Asalto Navideno Vol. 1, but still very rewarding to the open ear. You can still find Lavoe on the classic jibaro Que Bien Te Ves, where he uses an excellent style of inflection to better portray the lament of the jibaro, thus showcasing his talent and versatility. This album, however, would be Lavoe's last with Colon until their reunion on 1983's Vigilante. For all intents and purposes, Lavoe is by this point beginning his solo career. The rest of the uploads will chronicle Lavoe as frontman.

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Day 6:

Hector Lavoe - La Voz [Fania, 1975]

Admittedly the nerdiest looking cover in all of Latin music.....

Lavoe's solo debut was named after the title of his idol Felipe Rodriguez, which Lavoe's manager had suggested he shorten to "Lavoe" for his stage name. La Voz is to Lavoe's career what Cosa Nuestra was for Colon: a solid, early work that set him apart from all of his contemporaries. That being said, Lavoe was certainly still part of the Colon camp and the two remained great friends amidst rumors of a heated dispute. In fact, Colon had pretty much given Lavoe his band, and Colon and Fania labelmate Johnny Pacheco are responsible for some of the cuts on the album. With Colon's talented orchestra backing up a reinvigorated Lavoe, La Voz is one of his best. Stellar performances abound on classics like El Todopoderoso, a starkly religious ode and lyrical anomaly in his career. It's my suspicion that Lavoe and Colon penned the song to combat Lavoe's bad boy image as a womanizer and drug addict, though this is entirely unfounded. Other hits include Rompe Saraguey and Mi Gente, a complex survey of his people that predated Ruben Blades's more well-known call for Latin unity on Siembra. A fantastic debut for Lavoe.

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Hector Lavoe - De Ti Depende [Fania, 1976]


De Ti Depende features one of Lavoe's biggest hits, Periodico de Ayer, penned by Tite Curet Alonso. This biting indictment of a former lover stayed at the number one spot on Mexican charts for a full four months, and features some of the best string arrangements ever done on a Lavoe tune. Lyrically, it's one of my favorite Lavoe songs.

Tu amor es un periódico de ayer
(Your love is like yesterday's newspaper)
que nadie más procura ya leer
(that no one bothers to read anymore)
sensacional cuando salió en la madrugada
(sensational when it hits the presses at dawn)
a mediodía ya noticia confirmada
(well-known by mid-day)
y en la tarde materia olvidada.
(and forgotten at dusk)

Hacha y Machete is another excellent tune with strong arrangements and a great chorus. Cheo Feliciano and Felipe Pirela had already done versions of the title track, with no success. It took Lavoe to breathe new life into the song and make it a hit. Overall, another fantastic solo outing from Lavoe with Colon and Blades helping him out on choro.

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Day 7:

Hector Lavoe - Comedia (Fania, 1978)


Comedia features the quintessential El Cantante, a title that would become the source of his nickname, "El Cantante de Los Cantantes" (the singer of singers; taken in the same sense as "king of kings"), and of course serves as the inspiration for the title of the Marc Anthony/J-Lo biopic. The epic, 10-minute opus ranks among his best with lush string arrangements set in a minor mood, which, for Latin music in general, is rare and rather experimental. The song was originally written by Ruben Blades, who allegedly wanted to perform the song himself. However, after it became a signature Lavoe hit, Blades acknowledged that Lavoe did a much better job with it than he ever could have. Other excellent songs include the La Verdad, with an excellent rhythm section and very subtle organ flourishes; Tiempos Pasados, a samba-based tune with lyrics sung in a quasi-bolero style; and Songoroconsongo, a Nicolas Guillen poem set to music. Bandoleras is another controversial Lavoe hit due to its explicit threats of violence towards women, and had many Puerto Rican feminists up in arms (I am both Puerto Rican and a feminist and admittedly find the lyrical content a little disturbing, though I ultimately separate art from politics and so I don't discourage listening to it). Essential Lavoe.

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Hector Lavoe - Recordando a Felipe Pirela (Fania, 1979)

Hector's tribute to his idol, Venezuelan vocalist Felipe Pirela, the "Bolerista de America" who had moved from Venezuela to Columbia to Mexico and finally to Puerto Rico, where he was murdered in 1972. Pirela is recognized as one othe great Venezuelan voices, and here Lavoe interprets some of his most famous works. Solid stuff.

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Day 8:

Hector Lavoe - Feliz Navidad (Fania, 1979)


Hector gives the Fania Christmas album a shot, and brings in Yomo Toro and Santos Colon for some seriously solid jibaro. Almost as much a comedy album as a Christmas album, Feliz Navidad features Lavoe impersonating certain groups of gringos (Americans) as they try to speak, talk, and act like they are Puerto Rican/Nuyorican (at times done with arguably racist tones). The very distinct Spanish-with-a-gringo-dialect has since become a light-hearted, national joke.

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Hector Lavoe - El Sabio (Fania, 1980)


Another excellent Lavoe album! The fantastic opener and titled track pretty much says everything about what's in store. Noche de Farra even nods to charanga! The production here is very much rivaling that of the Colon/Blades duo akin to their seminal Siembra (Alejate is a perfect example).

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Hector Lavoe - Que Sentimiento (Fania, 1981)


By this point, you'll be marveling at Lavoe's ability to put out consistently quality albums, and even without Colon contributing any production, arrangements, or songwriting. The closer, No Hay Quien Te Aguante, is one of my Lavoe favorites. Que Sentimiento features Lavoe's best production values yet, a mixture of quality engineering without falling into the trap of overproduced, heavily synthesized 80s salsa, a very welcome breath of fresh air to contrast what his replacement with Colon, Ruben Blades, was doing with the 80s sound by this point.

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Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe - Vigilante (Fania, 1983)


Though Colon has contributed in some way to many of Lavoe's solo albums, it wasn't until Vigilante that the duo made their official return with Lavoe once again bestowing his talented crooning to Colon's band. You'll notice something right away: only four songs. Indeed, the songs here tend to be flowing romps than simple hits, and the title track is an incredibly experimental opus (even for Colon) that you'll either love or hate. That being said, everything else here harkens right back to the old Lavoe & Colon days, so it's quite a triumphant reunion!

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Hector Lavoe - Revento (Fania, 1985)


Revento finds Lavoe's career at its nadir. I would argue that his growing unpopularity has much more to do with the dwindling Fania sound and the state of Latin music in general than Lavoe's own work, as Revento and his preceding albums are all worthwhile outings. That being said, his chronic depression (the album closer translates as "I Can't Be Happy), battle with drugs, and the somewhat faltering quality of his voice certainly did not help. Regardless, Lavoe puts on an excellent performance here and still proves himself El Cantante de Los Cantantes. Listen to the smooth, vibe-heavy bolero Don Fulano De Tal to see what I mean.

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Hector Lavoe - Strikes Back (Fania, 1987)

Lavoe's final album of original material, the title is more a reference to his fame (or lack thereof) than to an actual hiatus from his music. While it may be difficult to imagine that an artist from the 60s and 70s could record an album called Strikes Back in the late 80s with any kind of integrity, that's exactly what's happened. Strikes Back is among his best and, moreover, may be his most intimate. Many of the lyrics deal with how the public perceives him and his struggles with fame and addiction, all put forth with an astute ear for the very pulse that put Latin music on the map nearly two decades before Strikes Back. Don't let the stereotype of a comeback album fool you. If you haven't heard Strikes Back, then you haven't heard everything that Lavoe has to offer.

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That's it! This marks the entire accessible Lavoe discography as will be relevant to El Cantante. I have not posted his pre-Colon work, nor his work with the Fania All-Stars. These may come at a later date (if you want to see these uploaded, speak up in the comments). For now, you are officially ready to hit up the movie theaters (TODAY! AUGUST 3RD!) and sing and dance in aisles to the Hector Lavoe film. I certainly hope you enjoy these albums as much as I do, and thank you all for the support and kind words. If you dig the music you see here, remember that much of this music is being reissued, so go out and buy it! And for the many newcomers to this blog, feel free to check back often as I continue to delve into Latin music's greatest rarities as well as its classics!