"Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblón" - Willie Colón

SONG: “Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblón” (PDF)
ALBUM: Criollo
YEAR: 1984
LABEL: RCA

By 1984, Willie Colón already had over a decade of steady success with Fania Records. As a product of the Puerto Rican barrios of New York City, the American trombonist’s stardom afforded him the luxury and social mobility to fly south to absorb the pleasures of Caribbean lifestyle. Like a travel brochure, the song "Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblón" highlights the famous beaches of Brazil with the influence of samba and salsa on the rich life.

Recommended reading: Willie Colón and the Urban Salsa Movement: The Bronx Innovator Who Reshaped Latin Music, Fania Records, and Cultural Identity. Published by Apple Books.