(LP) Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe - Cosa Nuestra (2026 Reissue)

"Cosa Nuestra" (Our Thing) is the definitive breakthrough album by the legendary salsa duo Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe. Initially released in late 1969 on Fania Records, it became their very first gold-certified record. The album stands as an foundational cornerstone of Latin music history and was named one of the "50 Greatest Salsa Albums of All Time" by Rolling Stone.

 

Produced by Jerry Masucci with musical direction by Johnny Pacheco, Cosa Nuestra captured the raw, streetwise energy of the late-60s New York salsa explosion. The iconic album cover—depicting a mafia-style crime scene designed by Izzy Sanabria—complemented the duo's "bad boy" image.

 

Musically, the record marked their transition away from the fading boogaloo trend toward hard-hitting salsa dura. It features Colón’s aggressive, front-and-center trombone lines paired with Lavoe's unmatched, soulful vocal phrasing and improvisational wit (soneo). The international mega-hit "Ché Ché Colé" anchors the record, blending African children's game chants with driving Puerto Rican rhythms. A high-fidelity Craft Latino all-analog (AAA) reissue of the album was released on September 25, 2026, cut from the original master tapes.