Willie Colón — La Molina, Lima, 2010

This concert, captured in 2010 in La Molina, on the outskirts of Lima, features Willie Colón, the New York trombonist, singer and arranger of Puerto Rican descent, a founding figure of modern salsa. A pioneer of the New York sound of the 1960s and 1970s on the Fania label, Willie Colón revolutionized the genre by injecting jazz, funk and Caribbean influences, notably alongside Héctor Lavoe and Rubén Blades. Before a won-over Peruvian audience, the artist rolls out a repertoire rich in classics, driven by a flamboyant horn section and relentless Afro-Caribbean rhythms. This multi-song filmed live set attests to the longevity of a musician whose albums, such as El Malo and Siembra, rank among the most influential in the history of Latin music. A precious live concert for understanding the roots of salsa dura and its reach in South America, this La Molina show highlights a committed artist, a direct heir of the Fania golden age, still able to electrify a crowd.