The V Centenario Park in Casco Antiguo of the Panamanian capital was transformed this Sunday into a large open-air conservatory, where hundreds of trombonists gathered to perform the traditional Murga de Panamá in posthumous tribute to salsa master Willie Colón.
“Willy Colón is very great and today we are going to have a great tribute in which, God willing, more than 300 trombonists will participate to play the Murga de Panamá. We are going to pay a great tribute to his music and we are happy to be able to give him this recognition,” musician and event organizer Alberto Gaitán told EFE,
The Panamanian musician also recalled the versatility of Colón, whom he described as an unrepeatable “genius”, and added: “I don’t know how he could play trombone and sing at the same time; it seems impossible and yet he did it in the best way”.
The well-known “King of the Trombone”, who died on February 21, 2026 at the age of 75 in New York, after his time with the Fania label and working with figures such as Héctor Lavoe, Rubén Blades and Celia Cruz, continued his career as a soloist and singer fronting his band, with productions such as The Good, Bad and The Ugly (1976) and Solo (1988), which reaped new successes and kept the salsa sound alive.
Among the most outstanding songs of his career -in which he sold more than 30 million records- are the unforgettable “El gran varón”, which deals with HIV, as well as “Gitana”, “La murga”, “Piraña”, “Calle luna, calle sol”, “La banda”, “Idilio”, “Ah, ah, oh, no” and “El día de mi suerte”, among many others.
Gaitán also emphasized the close bond they maintained with the New York salsa artist of Latin origin. “For us he was not just a friend, but like a father. We shared anecdotes, songs, productions and tours. He leaves us a legacy that we will continue through his music,” he said.
He also stressed that the key to keeping salsa alive lies in the participation of the new generations: “It is necessary that young people come to give content to salsa. Salsa musicians like us will always be around, but we need the new era to take an interest in this genre”.
The tribute also showed that the youngest members of the audience were also very much in demand. This was demonstrated by Allen Smith, an 18-year-old trombonist and member of the Moisés Castillo Ocaña School international band, who said he was “very excited” to participate in the event.
“Willie Colón showed that this instrument is very beautiful and inspired many to play it. For me it’s an incredible feeling,” he told EFE.
Smith explained that the trombone requires discipline and dedication, although he stressed that “music is for anyone; if you have the time and inspiration to learn, no instrument is impossible”.
The meeting, held in the historic heart of the Panamanian capital and with a large salsa audience in the well-known Calle Latina, became a powerful show of respect and admiration for one of the most influential figures of salsa, whose legacy continues to mark generations of musicians throughout Latin America, reported Agencia EFE.
Find out more at ‘QueOnnda.com’.
