The Descarga Journal: Tito Gomez, 1948-2007

Sat Jul 28 14:45:15 EDT 2007

The Descarga Journal • July 28, 2007

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Obituary: Tito Gómez 1948 - 2007

by John Child (John_Child at descarga.com)

In tribute to the recently deceased Tito Gómez, we repost an updated  
version of John Child's discographic profile of the matchless Puerto  
Rican sonero. A somewhat nomadic artist, before he began his solo  
career in earnest, Tito recorded with key bands in Puerto Rico, New  
York, Venezuela and Colombia, including Sonora Ponceña, Ray Barretto  
and Grupo Niche. "Tito was a man of much character, had the magic of  
a great singer and was very jovial…(his passing) is a great blow for  
us," said Jairo Varela, leader of Grupo Niche, with whom Gómez was  
touring at the time of his death.

Tito Gómez

GÓMEZ, Tito (b Humberto Luis Gómez, 9 Apr. '48, Juana Díaz, Puerto  
Rico; d 11 June '07, Cali, Colombia) Sonero (improvising salsa  
singer) with a haunting, melancholic timbre. Sang with Conjunto  
Antoanetti before joining Sonora Ponceña as a co-lead vocalist '68;  
sang on Ponceña's albums Hachero Pa' Un Palo, Fuego En El 23!, Algo  
De Locura, Navidad Criolla (Xmas LP), Desde Puerto Rico a Nueva York,  
Sonora Ponceña '69-72, all on Inca label; the last two LPs were made  
in NYC, produced by Larry Harlow. Ponceña trumpeter Joe Rodríguez  
split taking Gómez and percussionist Miguel "Mikey" Ortiz with him  
'73 to form La Terrifica, new band debuted with eponymous LP '74  
produced by Harlow. Gómez departed, briefly joined Ray Barretto's  
band, shared lead vocals with Rubén Blades on Grammy nominated  
Barretto '75 on Fania, Barretto's biggest hit LP up to that point,  
and Barretto Live: Tomorrow '76 on Atlantic.

Made his solo debut with Para Gozar Borinquen '77 on Inca produced by  
Harlow including Blades' penned hit "Estas Caliente." Returned to  
sing with Ponceña on their turning-point LP Explorando '78 on Inca;  
sang lead on the hit track "Moreno Soy" (I Am Brown): a testimony of  
Puerto Rico's racially mixed identity; but he only sang in the chorus  
on their next LP La Orquesta De Mi Tierra '78 on Inca, before leaving  
to record Tierra, Música y Sentimiento '79 on Nuestra with Tito  
Valentín.

Relocated to Venezuela to join La Amistad (The Friendship), a band  
organised '79 by two ex-Dimensión Latina members: singer Rodrigo  
Mendoza and pianist Jesús "Chuito" Narváez together with talented  
flautist / arranger Naty; Gómez recorded Presente y Pasado '79 and El  
Poder De…La Amistad '80 on Velvet with La Amistad before returning to  
Puerto Rico to make Brujerias '82 on Nuestra with Valentín, Eso Me  
Conviene '84 on True Love Records with La Terrifica (his vocals were  
uncredited), La Máquina De Los 80 '85 (produced by Johnny Ortiz with  
various lead singers including Pedro Arroyo, Junior González and Kim  
De Los Santos) and The Entertainer '85 on Telerecord with Rubby Haddock.

First saw Colombia's internationally successful salsa band Grupo  
Niche performing in '85 at Abuelo Pachanguero nightclub in Queens,  
New York. Leader Jairo Varela asked him to sing with the band. He  
adapted so quickly to their distinctive vocal style that Varela  
immediately offered him $5,000 and a new wardrobe and invited him to  
relocate to Colombia as a lead singer. Debuted as co-lead vocalist on  
Niche's album Me Huele A Matrimonio '86 on Codiscos; Niche and  
Gómez's plaintive voice blended splendidly; went on to sing on Grupo  
Niche con Cuerdas '86 on Faisán, Historia Musical '87 on Combo,  
Tapando El Hueco '88 on Clave and Sutil Y Contundente '89 on CBS  
(subsequently Sony); made his UK debut with Niche Oct. '89.

Left Niche to resume his solo career, releasing Billboard tropical /  
salsa Top 10 hit Un Nuevo Horizonte '91 (including Puerto Rican chart- 
topping single "Dejala" in duet with salsa romántica star Tito  
Rojas), Agradecimiento '93, Recogiendo Frutos '95 (including "Dejala  
[2nd parte]" with Rojas) and Volver '97, all on MP. Also participated  
in MP All Stars '92. Stole the show at the UK's first salsa stadium  
event, the Salsa Ball at London's Olympia, Sept. '96.

Kicked off the new millennium with his fifth MP release Quién Nos Iba  
A Decir?, including a duet with Rojas on the title track, followed by  
Las Paginas De Mi Vida'01. After a spell in prison for transporting  
counterfeit money, he made his MP comeback in 2004 with Comenzando En  
Cero; also performed that year at Sonora Ponceña's 50th anniversary  
concert and Toda Una Vida, a concert tribute to Ray Barretto.

Editor's Note: In what might have been Gómez' final performance,  
Codiscos released the 2007 live concert Un Legado Musical: Lo Nuevo Y  
Lo Mejor, Live In Cali Colombia - DVD & CD Set.

Reportedly he suffered from diabetes and bronchitis, and recently  
gained weight. Nevertheless, he continued to perform and was in Cali,  
Colombia, as part of a reunion tour with Grupo Niche when he suddenly  
fell ill and died of a heart attack on June 11, 2007, much to the  
surprise of colleagues who said he had been in customary good voice  
and spirits. Varela assisted with the cost of transferring his body  
to Puerto Rico, where he was buried in his native town next to his  
mother.

According to obituaries, Gómez is survived by his last wife, the  
young caleña Sandra Moreno (he was a US citizen and obtained  
Colombian residence after their marriage), eight or ten children  
(accounts vary about the number) and an unspecified number of  
grandchildren.

This is a revised version of one of over 130 Latin music entries  
written by John Child (John_Child at descarga.com) for The Penguin  
Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 2nd Edition, edit. Donald Clarke;  
Penguin Books; 1998; 1524 pages; US$22.95, UK£16.99.

They are published on the Descarga website by kind permission of  
Donald Clarke.

Check out these related pieces in The Descarga Journal Archives:

Profile: Frankie Papo Lucca
by John Child, September 30, 1999
A discographic profile of the talented Puerto Rican pianist,  
arranger, producer and veteran musical director of Sonora Ponceña.  
Continues here:

Obituary: Ray Barretto
by John Child, April 18, 2006
Ray Barretto, the hard-hitting conga player, bandleader, songwriter  
and arranger, sadly passed away on February 17th 2006. "Ray was like  
the quintessential Nuyorican," said percussionist and educator Bobby  
Sanabria. "For us in our community, he was a shining example of how  
somebody from humble beginnings can rise and achieve greatness." In  
tribute, John Child offers a revised version of a discographic  
profile he originally prepared in the early 1990s, followed by an  
extensive selection of albums Ray made as a leader, sideman and  
session musician. Continues here here:

Profile: Grupo Niche
by John Child, July 14, 2001
Distinctive salsa band based in Cali, Colombia whose leader is  
musical director, arranger and producer, Jairo Varela. Continues here:

© Descarga.com and John Child, produces and selects the contents of  
the totallyradio show Aracataca , He is an editor and journalist for  
the Descarga.com Latin music website and a contributor to the  
MusicWeb Encyclopedia of Popular Music, and Penguin and Guinness  
Encyclopedias of Popular Music

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