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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZGÓMEZ, Tito(b Humberto Luis Gómez, 9 April 1948, Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico) Sonero (improvising salsa singer) with a haunting, melancholic timbre. Sang with Conjunto Antoanetti before joining Sonora Ponceña (see Papo Lucca) 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 c'69-72, all on Inca; the last two were produced in NYC by Larry Harlow. Ponceña trumpeter Joe Rodríguez split, taking Gómez and percussionist Miguel 'Mikey' Ortiz with him '73 to form La Terrifica, the new band debuted with eponymous LP '74 produced by Harlow. Gómez left, 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 then, and Barretto Live: Tomorrow '76 on Atlantic. Gómez's debut album Para Gozar Borinquen '77 on Inca was produced by Harlow, included hit 'Estas Caliente' written by Blades. He 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'), about 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. He relocated to Venezuela to join La Amistad (the Friendship), a band organized '79 by two ex-Dimensión Latina members, singer Rodrigo Mendoza and pianist Jesús 'Chuito' Narváez, and including 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 PR to make Brujerias '82 on Nuestra with Valentín, and The Entertainer '85 on Telerecord with Rubby Haddock. Debuted as co-lead singer with Colombia's internationally successful salsa band Grupo Niche on their album Me Huele A Matrimonio '86 on Codiscos; Niche and Gómez's plaintive voice blended splendidly and he also sang on Niche's 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. He resumed his solo career with Billboard tropical/salsa top ten hit Un Nuevo Horizonte '91 (including Puerto Rican chart-topping single 'Dejala' in duet with salsa romántica star Tito Rojas), Agradecimiento '93 and Recogiendo Frutos '95 (including 'Dejala [2nd parte]' with Rojas), all on MP. Also participated in MP All Stars '92. He stole the show at London's first salsa stadium event at Olympia Sep. '96. |