Joe Arroyo Playlist

He is dead the 26th of July 2011. He was the one who introduced me to salsa and gave me a first taste of Colombia.
I was in a record store in Paris when they play Echao Pa’lante : it’s been love at first listen. At the time I was working at one of the biggest world music stores in France and I was sad not to be able to find the keys that will help me to love salsa. This track from Joe, even if it’s not pure salsa, acted like a Sesame. Since then I could follow the way.
Later, during my trips in Colombia, I realized how much Joe was important : “Rebellion” which is about the slaves in Carthagena in 1600 is a national song, it’s not a hit or whatever, it is part of the colombian patrimony, you can hear it anywhere, at a wedding, in a bus, in a bar, in the jungle, … anywhere.

Most of all he was respected because of his true love for music and people. He never betreated the city where he comes from : Barranquilla. My friend Fabian Altahona Romero from Barranquilla told me that Joe who was the writer of most of his songs gave some author rights to poor people in order to provide them some money.

At his funeral in Barranquilla, yesterday, there were 60 000 people : the love of a people for the one who had represented them so faithfully and with so much love.
Con mucho carino.

Joe Arroyo – Echao Pa’lante