Willie Colón

Bio

Willie Colón is a pioneering trombonist, bandleader, and composer who helped shape the sound of New York salsa in the late 1960s and 1970s. His early recordings with vocalist Héctor Lavoe blended traditional Cuban son and Puerto Rican bomba with jazz and urban themes, creating a gritty, streetwise style that became known as "salsa dura." Over a five-decade career he has released dozens of albums, collaborated with artists such as Rubén Blades, and served as a cultural ambassador for Latin music worldwide.