Craft Latino have issued a reissue of Comedia, the 1978 album from Salsa singer Héctor Lavoe. Produced by his longtime collaborator Willie Colón, Lavoe’s third solo album features his well-known hit, the Rubén Blades-penned “El Cantante”, alongside favorites like “Songoro Cosongo,” “Porque te conocí?,” and “Comedia.”
Arriving April 10th, 2026 and available for pre-order today, the album features all-analog (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl. A tip-on jacket replicates Yoshi Ohara’s photograph of Lavoe, who masquerades as comedic actor Charlie Chaplin.
There is also a limited-edition Clear Smoke color pressing (only 300 copies), as a stand-alone or bundled with collectible T-shirts, including a “Comedia” T-shirt featuring the cover art and the classic “El Cantante” black tee, available at Fania.com. Fans can also enjoy the remastered album in both standard and HD digital audio available now on digital music platforms.
Héctor Lavoe (1946–1993) was one of the most powerful voices in Salsa music and an influential force in popularizing the genre. Born Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez in Ponce, Puerto Rico, the artist relocated to New York City at 17, where he adopted his stage name and began performing in bands led by Roberto García, Kako, and Fania Records founder Johnny Pacheco. It was through Pacheco that Lavoe met 16-year-old Willie Colón, with whom he would form a celebrated partnership.
Beginning in 1967, Lavoe appeared as a vocalist on ten studio albums with the Willie Colón Orchestra, including the boogaloo classic El malo (1967), as well as Cosa nuestra (1970), Asalto Navideño (1971), and Lo mato (1973).
In the mid-’70s, Lavoe embarked on a solo career and soon became one of Salsa music’s biggest stars, thanks to his popular 1975 debut, La voz, and its 1976 follow-up, De ti depende. Two years later, he returned with Comedia, another critical and commercial success that would become a cornerstone of his body of work.
Comedia proved to be another bestseller for Lavoe, while “El Cantante” became a classic and his signature song. In 2024, the track was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.
Comedia, meanwhile, remains a revered album in Salsa music. In 2024, Rolling Stone ranked Comedia No.3 on their 50 Greatest Salsa Albums of All Time list.
Over the decades, Lavoe’s extensive contributions to Latin music have been honored in New York and Puerto Rico through a myriad of street dedications, statues, and murals. His life also inspired an off-Broadway play, a tribute album, and two feature films, including the Marc Anthony/Jennifer Lopez–led El Cantante (2006). In 2000, Lavoe was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.
