Johnny Ray is an afamed percussionist and band leader of Puerto Rican extraction. Born in Quebradillas, a small town in the western coast of Puerto Rico, as Juan Zamot, the child, was raised in Aguadilla, and later moved to New York City at age 10. It was in the city of New York where Johnny quickly took a strong interest in the percussive sounds that backed the growing Latin music movement which was pervasive in the city then. Soon, the youthful percussionist knew that his future was geared, not only to becoming a Latin musician, but to being a band-leader as well.
Getting into the music scene as a sideman, basically by playing the timbal and the bongoes, the percussionist soon discovered his love for another percussion instrument, the conga drum. “The congas allowed me to express my musical feelings more freely”, said Ray in an interview with Juan Moreno Velázquez, of el diario-LA PRENSA in New York, “the congas incited a different fire in me and I feel in love with their sound and their potential to guide the musical feeling into the dancer's core. Playing the congas was like getting a charge of energy," Johnny confesses. "The more I played, the more energized I became. That feeling is still with me today and it continues to affect not only the musicians in the band but also the people in the audience." John then embarked in a never endind process of discovering himbelf through the instrument and became a highly applied student in the pursuit of mastering his craft as a master percussionist.
After almost four decades as a musician and director of his own band, and forty recordings under his belt, Johnny Ray is, undoubtely, one of the most accomplished salseros in the business. From his beginnings with Sociedad 76 and their well remember hits like La Sociedad de la Salsa and Jibarito Mío, to the current edition Johnny Ray and Salsa con Clase, founded in 1988, and still in the busineess today, Johnny Ray has been one of the favorite dancing groups for the true salseros in New York City, Puerto Rico and the world. His experience as a solid band leader has also turned him into a music tactician and his sound remains in the vanguard of the newest musical trends. is definitely one of the most successful musicians in the business blessed with an uncanny ability to foresee music changing trends.
Johnny Ray's readiness to assimilate new styles is undeniable, and every one of the band's releases can truly attest to this fact. "Call it evolution or adaptation but my music has always reflected the current trends," states Johnny. "Traditionally, music fans eagerly welcome refreshing changes. I've always tried my best to give them exactly that...and I've never made a secret about it!", finished the salsero.
In 1997, as a result of his decision to record and produce his own music, Johnny established JZ Productions, a recording label and a production/booking company. Ten recordings have followed, proving Johnny Ray and Salsa con Clase resilency during the slowest cycle experienced by Salsa in decades. Without a question, Johnny Ray has firmly established himself as one of the premier band leaders in New York, and Salsa con Clase has, undoubtely, gained the favor of all dancers, that, in itself, is quite and accomplishment.
Johnny Ray and Salsa con Clase has performed at the following Colleges and Universities:
Baruch College, Brooklyn College, Hostos College, Hunter College John Jay College, Kingsborough College, LaGuardia College, Manhattan College, Montclair State College, Queens College. BerkelyUniversity, Buffalo StateUniversity, ColumbiaUniversity, Pace University, RutgersUniversity, St. John's University, Stony BrookUniversity, and The University of Delaware.
Johnny Ray and Salsa con Clase has performed in the following countries:
Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Panamá, Perú,
Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela, and all over the United States.
Johnny Ray and Salsa con Clase has shared the stage with artists of the quality of:
Marc Anthony, Joe Arroyo, Ray Barreto, Rubén Blades, Cachao, Bobby Capó, Conjunto Clásico, Willie Colón, El Gran Combo, Celia Cruz, Oscar De León, Fajardo, La India, Dimensión Latina, Héctor Lavoe, Millie Quezada y Los Vecinos, Machito, Andy Montañéz, Grupo Niche, Tito Nieves, Tommy Olivencia, Johnny Pacheco, Charlie Palmieri, Eddie Palmieri, Sonora Ponceña, Puerto Rican Power, Tito Puente, Louie Ramírez, Jerry Rivera, Tito Rodríguez, Willie Rosario, Eddie Santiago, Bobby Valentín, Johnny Ventura, Fernandito Villalona, amongst many others.
Universities:
Berkely, Buffalo State, Columbia,
Pace, Rutgers, St. John's,
Stony Brook, University of Delaware.
Countries:
Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, England, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Peru,
Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain, Switzerland,
Venezuela.
On Stage With:
Marc Anthony, Joe Arroyo, Ray Barreto,
Ruben Blades, Conjunto Clasico,
Willie Colon, El Gran Combo,
Celia Cruz, Oscar De Leon, Fajardo,
La India, Demencion Latina,
Hector Lavoe, Millie y Los Vecinos,
Machito, Grupo Niche, Tito Nieves,
Tommy Olivencia, Johnny Pacheco,
Sonora Ponsena, Puerto Rican Power,
Tito Puente, Jerry Rivera,
Tito Rodriguez, Willie Rosario,
Eddie Santiago, Bobby Valentin,