La Gran Fuga [CD], Willie Colon, CD

Released in 1970, this is a masterpiece of salsa music. It crystalizes the Willie Colon/Hector Lavoe aesthetic that the duo developed on previous albums. The songs reflect the duo’s views on life’s reckless joys and profound tragedies, like the nostalgic remembrance of Lavoe’s grandmother’s hilarious sayings on “Abuelita” and the swinging “Barrunto” which describes the sadness of heartbreak. Featuring all-analog mastering from the original master tapes, this album returns to CD for the first time in over fifteen years.