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RAÍCES ADMINISTRATION
CO-DIRECTORS 
FRANCISCO G. GÓMEZ Francisco's inspiration and interest in music began back in the 1950's. Traditionally from Cuban and Puertorican roots, he was exposed to many family house parties back in that time period. As a child he would watch and listen to his Grandfather Don Francisco Candelario Gómez Mena y Nóa play tres and sing popular tunes from Cuba. It was because of his Grandfather that Francisco came to love Cuban music so much. Traveling to the town of Rio Grande, on the island of Puerto Rico to visit his maternal family, was another musical revelation for Francisco. He found many musicians and trovadores (singers) in his family. He learned cuatro from his uncles Pedrito and Benjamín and came to appreciate the tonality of varied jibaro verses from his other uncles, Kique and Beno. However, his intense interest and admiration for the traditions of Bomba and Plena were flamed by his Great Uncle Don Felipe Rivera. Don Pipe would take Francisco to the different juke joints in the town of Loíza Aldea, there he learned the meaning of community through music by the many bombazos he attended. Francisco's formal instruction in music started in 1960 at the age of eight. Primary education at Saint Charles Bormeo in Newark, N. J. provided instruction in guitar, bass and theory, laying the foundation for the musical ensembles he would play in and later direct in his career. Coupling the latter with guitar accompaniment for his Grandfather, he continued to augment his interests in Latin Music. In the mid-sixties, Francisco began to study piano and composition on his own and was totally immersed in the Fania phenomena of the late 60's and 70's. In his early twenties he organized and directed several latin bands, Orquesta Cultural being the most popular during the early 70s. The orquesta played in the tri-state area for a number of years. Francisco directs the Raíces Cultural Center Ensemble, a latin folkloric Cuban/Puertorican conjunto based in New Brunswick, N.J.. He is also Co-Director of the Raíces Cultural Center, a N.J. 501(c)3 Nonprofit Corporation. He completed his formal studies at Rutgers University, he teaches English and Reading at Middlesex County College. |
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