Article Contributed by Craft Recordings
Published on 2026-09-02
Craft Latino honors the enduring legacy of genre-defining artists Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe with a reissue of their landmark 1975 album, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
A collaboration with master cuatro player Yomo Toro and legendary singer-songwriter Rubén Blades, the influential salsa LP features such standout tracks as “Güaracha,” “Qué bien te ves,” and “El Cazanguero,” and marks Lavoe’s final album with Colón before embarking on his highly successful solo career.
Arriving October 23 and available for pre-order today, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly features all-analog (AAA) mastering by Clint Holley and Dave Polster at Well Made Music and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl for an exceptional listening experience.
The LP is housed in a replica of its classic gatefold jacket, featuring an imaginative design by artist Ron Levine that pays homage to the iconic Spaghetti Western film of the same name, depicting Toro as “The Good,” Colón as “The Bad,” and Lavoe as “The Ugly.” On the flip side are the album’s original liner notes by ethnomusicologist and music journalist John Storm Roberts. ([Fania Records][1])
A limited-edition “Cobre Campesino” (Rancher Copper) color pressing, limited to 300 copies, will also be available as a standalone or bundled with a Fania Retro Logo T-shirt at Fania.com. The remastered title will also be reissued on streaming platforms in Hi-Res for the first time, as well as standard digital audio.
By 1975, Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe were two of the biggest names in Latin music. The influential duo began their partnership at New York’s Fania Records in the mid-’60s, when Colón was just 16 and Lavoe was 21.
Beginning with their soulful 1967 debut, El Malo, the pair established an ardent following and, over the next decade, matured into their signature sound, moving beyond the popular boogaloo craze to pioneer the sounds of salsa through such bestselling albums as Cosa Nuestra (1969), La Gran Fuga (1970), El Juicio (1972), and their iconic Christmas albums with cuatro player Yomo Toro, Asalto Navideño Vols. 1 & 2 (1971 and 1973, respectively).
As their popularity hit its peak, both artists were primed to embark on new ventures—but before they did, they recorded a landmark album, once again partnering with Toro.
One of the most innovative salsa recordings of its time, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly incorporated elements of jazz, funk, rock, and Brazilian music, yet remained rooted in Afro-Cuban rhythms. The result was a bold and experimental work that not only broadened Colón’s work as a bandleader, but also the boundaries of the genre.
That stylistic diversity can be heard on tracks like the bouncy “El Cazanguero,” written and fronted by singer-songwriter Rubén Blades, who would soon take over Lavoe’s spot in Colón’s band, as it moves seamlessly from Brazilian influences to straight-up New York City salsa.
A saxophone and horn break in the style of the great bandleader Machito adds extra flavor, while the Panamanian-born Blades brings flair to his vocal performance.
Rock and pop also influenced Colón’s work, as heard in tracks like the instrumental “I Feel Campesino (Theme Realidades)” and “MC2 (Theme Realidades),” both of which feature funky electric guitar solos courtesy of seasoned session musician Elliott Randall and were tied to the groundbreaking bilingual PBS television series Realidades, for which Colón was the musical director.
On the more traditional end of the spectrum is “Qué bien te ves,” in which Lavoe lovingly parodies legendary Puerto Rican singer Chuito, while “Güaracha” marries traditional Cuban guajiro music with jíbaro, a Puerto Rican folk style, and llanera, from the plains of Venezuela and Colombia.
Another highlight is the aptly named “Potpourri III,” which finds Lavoe performing a medley of bombas and plenas.
Also in the studio was an accomplished ensemble of musicians, including Eddie Rivera on bass, Milton Cardona on congas, José Mangual on bongos, Mario Rivera on baritone saxophone, José Cigno on drums, Eric Matos on trombone, and “Prof. Joe” Torres on piano. Coros were provided by Mangual, Blades, Colón, Ernie Agosto, and Ada Chabrier.
Released in April 1975, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly drew critical acclaim and commercial success. Hit single “El Cazanguero” introduced Blades to New York audiences, making his transition to Colón’s full-time vocalist a smooth one following Lavoe’s departure. Fania continues to recognize the album as a key transitional recording in Colón’s catalog.
PRE-ORDER AND MORE INFORMATION AT FANIA
TRACKLIST
Side A
1. Toma
2. Potpourrí III
3. Doña Toña
4. MC2 (Theme Realidades)
Side B
1. El Cazanguero
2. Qué bien te ves
3. Güaracha
4. Cua Cua Ra, Dua Cua
5. I Feel Campesino (Theme Realidades)
ABOUT FANIA
Highly influential, both musically and culturally, Fania Records spread the sound of salsa music from the clubs of New York City to the rest of the world and became a revered global brand in the process. Fania’s master recording catalog is the definitive home for genres such as Latin big band, Afro-Cuban jazz, boogaloo, salsa and Latin Soul, and includes artistic giants such as Celia Cruz, Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe and Rubén Blades.
With the creation of the international supergroup known as the Fania All-Stars, the label’s signature musical style became known as the “Fania Sound.”
ABOUT CRAFT LATINO
Craft Latino is home to one of the largest and most prestigious collections of Latin music master recordings and compositions in the world. Its repertoire includes artists such as Antonio Aguilar, Joan Sebastian, Pepe Aguilar, Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, Willie Colón, Ray Barretto, La Lupe, Rubén Blades, the Fania All-Stars, and Daddy Yankee.
Craft Latino is the Latin repertoire arm of Craft Recordings, the catalog label team for Concord.
