Hector Lavoe La Voz 180g LP

Lavoe made his solo debut on the Colón-produced album La Voz in 1975. The album reached gold. José Febles arranged Lavoe's composition "Paraíso de Dulzura" and dazzlingly updated the '50s Chappottín classic "Rompe Saragüey," featuring an elegant and ingenious 2:30 minute piano solo by Mark "Markolino" Dimond. Dimond played piano on Colón's second and third albums, The Hustler (c. 1968 on Fania) and Guisando - Doing a Job (c. 1969 on Fania) and wrote a track for each record. Other highlights of La Voz are "El Todopoderoso," co-written by Lavoe and Colón, who arranged the number, and the Johnny Pacheco-penned anthem "Mi Gente," also arranged by Colón. In May the following year, Lavoe garnered Latin NY magazine awards for "Best Male Vocalist" and "Best Conjunto."

Anyone unfamiliar with this 'Cantante de los Cantantes' will be left spellbound with the melted-butter quality of his voice. In the first track, 'En Todopoderoso,' within his first verse Héctor Lavoe sets himself far apart from all contemporaries by virtue of his angelic timbre, only to later outdo himself as he effortlessly soars over the coro....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.