Ray Pérez y El Grupo Casabe, special edition that includes a 12" LP and 7", 12 songs of pura sabrosura
2022 compilation Ray`s work with Grupo Casabe 1974-1975, salsa Venezuela.

A1. Maria Antonia
A2. Campesino Nuestro
A3. Santa
A4. La Idea
A5. Galerón con Maype
B6. Oye nena
B7. La Reina
B8. Lamento Del Campesino
B9. EL Bonche se Formó
B10. Adiós Bogota
C11. Magdalena
D12. Sábado en la Tarde

Grupo Casabe can lay claim to being Ray Pérez’s last great group. Fresh from the successes of Los Dementes and Los Kenya, Pérez was at the forefront of salsa in the mid-70s, and still experimenting with música bailable and all the danceable horn- blazing styles that were beginning to be known collectively as salsa. The finest tracks of this short-lived combo, active from 1974 until 1975, are now being celebrated by El Palmas Music on a new compilation simply titled Ray Pérez y El Grupo Casabe.
Pérez was bandleader for an astonishing number of groups, which was partly due tohis in-demand status, with each move to a new label meaning he needed a new band name. Such was the case with Ray Pérez y El Grupo Casabe, formed when CBS came calling. Their line-up built on his previous groups, with both a drum kit and percussion for additional power, with Pérez himself belting out those trusty piano montuños, however there was one significant change, with Pérez using saxophones for the first time, alongside his usual brass section of trumpets and trombones. With him for the ride were vocalists including Rodrigo Perdomo (brother of “El Negrito Calavén”, from Pérez’s earlier group, Los Calvos) and Rafael Morillo.
If Ray had been born and raised in New York then no doubt he’d be regarded as one of salsa’s pioneers. He’s had to work harder for his reputation, but there can be no doubt, he deserves to be one of the greats, and his work with Grupo Casabe is even more proof.