In Memoriam: Jorge Casas

Sad news to report today: Jorge Casas, bassist for Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, has passed away from undisclosed causes. He was 69 years old. Estefan shared the news on her Instagram page.

“It is with deep sadness that I share with you the passing of Jorge Casas, my friend, my musical director of 34 years, my brother,” she wrote. “He passed peacefully in his sleep after a beautiful night with his family while on a one week hiatus from his work family, the cast and crew of On Your Feet! We are all mourning the loss of this amazing human being that enriched our lives and was the friend that everyone would want in their corner.”

Born in Cuba, Casas graduated from the University of Miami in 1983 with a degree in Studio Music & Jazz. He had his own band in Miami called “The Company” from 1981 to 1986, which eventually gave way to become the Miami Sound Machine. The bassist put together an arrangement for Estefan’s song “Anything For You” with just four days to go until the album’s mastering. It went on to be the singer’s first number one hit on the Billboard Charts.

He went on to work with many artists including David Coverdale, Jimmy Page, and Julio Iglesias. He was also a prolific producer for film soundtracks. He was most recently working on Broadway for the show “On Your Feet!: The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Musical.”

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Jorge Casas.