Craft Latino celebrates the enduring legacy of singer and salsa icon Héctor Lavoe with a special reissue of his 1975 solo debut, La Voz.

The Gold-certified album, which features Lavoe’s signature hit “Mi Gente” (plus such highlights as “El Todopoderoso,” “Rompe Saraguey” and “Paraiso de Dulzura”) is the release that launched a vibrant new chapter in the storied career of “El Cantante.”

In stores on June 23rd, 2023 and available for pre-order today, La Voz features AAA remastering, with lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl. An Apple Red colored disc will be available exclusively at Fania.com. The album will also be released in hi-res digital for the first time, including 192/24 format on June 23rd, 2023.

Side A:
1. El Todopoderoso
2. Emborrachame de Amor
3. Paraíso de Dulzura
4. Un Amor de la Calle

Side B:
5. Rompe Saragüey
6. Mucho Amor
7. Tus Ojos
8. Mi Gente

Simply put, if anyone is unfamiliar with this Cantante de los Cantantes (aka “The Singer of Singers”), once they hear Lavoe sing, they will be left spellbound with the sumptuous, melted-butter quality of his voice.

I mean, from the very off, the very first verse of En Todopoderoso (which understandably became an international hit) allows Lavoe to set his musical stall out, thus setting himself far apart from all contemporaries by virtue of his angelic timbre; only to later outdo himself as he effortlessly soars over the coro.

La Voz was his very first of nine solo records for the Fania label and thus he turned to label mate and longtime collaborator Willie Colón to produce and arrange. From the graceful, sophisticated horn intro on the aforementioned En Todopoderoso to the blazing mambo section in Paraiso de Dulzura, Colón’s mark as arranger is indelible.

Unlike fellow Fania artists like Rubén Blades and Colón (both of whom sing coro on this album), Lavoe keeps this record quite vocal-centric, omitting the fiery horn or percussion solos and long dance sections that became so characteristic of the genre. Though these elements are missed, Lavoe certainly keeps our fervent interest piqued throughout.

As we flip the vinyl record over, we are instantly beholden with a most glorious modern take on Félix Chappottín’s Rompe Saragüey, featuring a dazzling piano solo by Mark “Markolino” Dimond.

In fact, on the final track, Mi Gente, and perhaps the most famous track on the album, Lavoe asserts himself as a master sonero. In what was to become a rather joyful Latino pride anthem, his own improvisational abilities went a long way to establishing his reputation in the first place, and he does not shy away from using them on this recording.

In closing, the experience created by La Voz is a warmth and refinement only achievable by the combination of two factors. The Fania label in its prime, and perhaps New York salsa’s most distinctive voice to date.

Official Purchase Links