Ysrael Casado —born Israel Casado in the Villa Francisca neighborhood of Santo Domingo— is a Dominican pianist, arranger and music director active in merengue since 1982, credited by many as the architect of Los Hermanos Rosario’s musical style and, for over thirteen years, the musical director and arranger of Toño Rosario.

A difficult artist, an easy friendship

Casado has said that his long partnership with Rosario worked precisely because friendship outweighed professional distance between them: newer arrangers, he has said, are often intimidated by the singer’s strong will, while Rosario always trusted his opinions. It was Casado who recommended «Quiero Volver a Empezar» to Rosario after his breakup with the Puerto Rican singer Ivette Cintrón, a song that became one of the defining hits of his solo career.

A change of tempo for Miriam Cruz

As musical director for Miriam Cruz’s orchestra, Casado was tasked by her manager with slowing the group’s tempo, a change that drew some initial criticism but ultimately proved effective, according to both the singer and her management.

Legacy

Casado has also worked with Benny Sadel and with numerous other Latin artists over a decades-long career, during which, by his own account and Dominican press reports, he has won seven Latin Grammy Awards.