WILLIE COLON The Hustler Fania Records (FSLP-347) This is the classic second album that Willie Colon recorded with Hector Lavoe as his lead vocalist. The session would dictate the stylish direction that both men took as one if the greatest salsa duos in the history of salsa music. Their debut album El Malo (FSLP-337) in 1967, boasted a trombone heavy sound that was raw & unorthodox --- perceived by the public as part of the Latin/Soul craze of the boogaloo & shing-a-ling. Some of the tracks on The Hustler (FSLP-347) in 1968, made reference to the crossover trends. The rest of the album, however, moved in a different direction. It was a transitional period for Latin music in New York, & people questioned the recent fusions of Latin rhythms with soul & r&b. The song Montero, for instance, qualifies as a jala jala --- deep inside, however, there is a rumba waiting to come out. According to Willie Colon, Eso Se Baila Asi was our declaration of independence from the boogaloo. We had decided to go tipico & folkloric. The intro appears to embrace the boogaloo, but when the chorus appears, it says; boogaloo does not go with me. This was also the first album that placed Lavoes talent at the epicenter of Colons musical vision. Hector couldnt sing in English, but his work was so good in Spanish that I decided to go with our strength, explains the trombonist. The two men complemented each other admirably. An adventurous musician, Colon represented the Latino raised in New York, whereas, Hector Lavoe was the newly arrived immigrant from Puerto Rico, with his nasal, typically jibaro delivery. Colon & Lavoe were united by the rough competitiveness of barrio life. Hence the name (and cover art) of this LP. The image of Willie posing in front of a pool table on the cover is a reference to the 1961 movie The Hustler with Paul Newman & Jackie Gleason. The photo was shot @ Jerry Masuccis fathers Ridgewood Grove Billards in Yonkers. Hector still wasnt sure that he wanted to be in the band, recalls Colon. He opted not to be on the cover with the group that he had been playing with for a couple of years. The Hustler featured a young & energetic band that included future Fania All Stars timbalero Nicky Marrero & African-American pianist Markolino Dimond, who wrote the tasty Guajiron. With their raw & edgy tones, Colons trombone lines shine on the records title track --- a Latin jazz instrumental. We had a weakness for instrumental descargas, explains Colon. It all started with one of the founders of the group, pianist Dwight Brewster, & the track Jazzy, which was featured on our first LP. Both Dwight & bassist James Taylor left the band before we recorded our second album - which influenced our decision to go tipico. This organic process resulted in a sound that attracted many jazz players. I had a minimal knowledge of jazz, so I didnt know who Grover Washington or Slide Hampton were when they came to our gig. Havana was emblematic of the bands affection for Cuban people. Que Lio was a hit all over Latin America, & recently covered by Marc Anthony in the film El Cantante. In his original liner notes for the record, Izzy Sanabria say; Who knows, in a few years this album may become a collectors item. As it turns out, The Hustler is a bono fide classic. Now, it has been digitally remastered for future generations to enjoy. Enjoy! Side A 1. The Hustler 2. Que Lio 3. Montero 4. Se Acaba Este Mundo Side B 1. Guajiron 2. Eso Se Baila Asi 3. Havana Personnel: Willie Colon: Leader, Valve Trombone Joe Santiago: Valve Trombone Markolino Dimond: Acoustic Grand Piano Santi Gonzalez: Ampeg Baby Bass Nicky Marrero: Timbales Hector Bucky Andrade: Conga Pablo Rosario: Bongo, Cowbell Lead Vocals: Hector Lavoe Coro: Johnny Pacheco Justo Betancourt Willie Colon Musical Arrangements by: Willie Colon Produced by: Jerry Masucci Executive Producer: Jerry Masucci Recording Director: Johnny Pacheco Album Cover & Liner Photos: Marty Topp Album Cover Design: Izzy Sanabria Recording Engineer: Irv Greenbaum Recorded @: Belltone Studios, NYC FANIA RECORDS, 1968 A FANIA RECORDS PRODUCTION
Posted on: Wed, 28 May 2014 22:18:30 +0000