"Colón was a trombonist, singer, bandleader, composer and producer who helped revolutionize salsa music, blending Afro-Caribbean rhythms with elements of R&B, funk and jazz. His work helped shape the sound of New York salsa and propel the genre to international prominence."
"Bronx-based auxiliary bishop Joseph A. Espaillat led the prayers for Colón. During the service, Espaillat reflected on how the musician's work touched generations, recalling how hearing Colón's 1973 song El Día de Mi Suerte first introduced him to the trombone as a child."
"Colón was born William Arturo Colón Román to Puerto Rican parents in the South Bronx. Raised largely by his grandmother, he was introduced to Latin music at an early age. As a teenager, he joined the then-nascent Fania Records label, which would become the epicenter of the salsa movement in New York."
Willie Colón, a pioneering salsa musician, passed away at age 75 after a respiratory illness. Born in the South Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Colón became a trombonist, singer, bandleader, composer, and producer who fundamentally transformed salsa music by integrating Afro-Caribbean rhythms with R&B, funk, and jazz elements. His contributions shaped New York's salsa sound and elevated the genre internationally. Over his six-decade career, he created more than 40 albums and achieved worldwide sales exceeding 30 million copies. His funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral drew fans, family, and fellow musicians from around the world, with trombonists performing his iconic 1970 hit recorded with collaborator Héctor Lavoe during their Fania Records years.
Read at Bronx Times
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