Tags: Salsa

Review: El Palmas Music is on a mission to shine a light on a short-lived but brilliant band, Ray Perez y El Grupo Casabe. It was active from 1974 until 1975 and is often said to be the last great group in which Ray Peres was involved. He came to it from big success with Los Dementes and Los Kenya which had placed him at the forefront of the salsa movement. He continued to experiment and lead the genre forth front with this new group as this compilation shows. Big drums, bigger horns and driving rhythm make each track a fiery workout with plenty of vocals from the likes of Rodrigo Perdomo and Rafael Morillo.

Review: Some music just instantly and inescapably transports you to another world and that is 100% the case with Jesus Gomez y su Grupo's self titled long player. It has been impossible to find over the years and is a true musical treasure that blazed a trail few have been able to follow. Jesus Gomez was only 17 when this was recorded and it already shows a great mastery of many different Latin musical styles - it is an energetic rhythmic declaration coloured by Guaguanco, Bolero, Descarga, Rumba, and even Guaracha as well as salsa. The intertwining rhythms and heartfelt vocals are perfectly layered up to beautiful effect here by the young Venezuelan talent.