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Tiempo Libre

Chicago Tribune

Celebrity Traveler: Jorge Gomez. New York, Keys draw Cuban-born musician

Chicago Tribune

Sunday, June 28, 2009

by Anne Stein

The musicians in the two-time Grammy-nominated band Tiempo Libre were born, raised and classically trained at Cuban conservatories but now make their home in Miami. Focusing on timba, a sizzling combination of Latin jazz and Cuban sound, the group has been touring the U.S. to support its latest CD, "Bach in Havana." We talked to pianist and music director Jorge Gomez, 37, about touring with the band.

Q. What is your favorite city to travel to?

A. New York City. It's a crazy city, it's cosmopolitan, and the food and the music are incredible. We like going to Times Square, to the Museum of Natural History for hours and hours, and Central Park. I also love the Florida Keys -- they remind me of Cuba, with the fishing, people playing dominoes, the same weather.

Q. What's your favorite hotel?

A. I don't like big, luxury hotels. I like The Blakely in Manhattan [] between 6th and 7th Avenue. The people are so nice; it's a small hotel, not too crowded. The food and wine are incredible. And it's in the middle of everything; you don't need to take a taxi anywhere. In the Keys I love Casa Morada [] on Islamorada. It's made up of bungalows, in the middle of the tropical scene in the Keys. You wake up every morning and see the sea -- and deer walking around.

When we first started touring seven years ago, everyone shared a room. Now it's one person per room, but we all end up in one room anyway, playing music, playing dominoes, watching TV ... seven musicians and one sound engineer. It's crazy. We all eat together, go to the pool together, to the bar. Everyone's together, like mom, dad and the whole family.

Q. What do you seek out when you travel?

A. I like to find a jazz club with music and good food. If they have a pool table, even better. That's why I love New York; it's easy to find a club with filet mignon and a pool table. I also like museums, something that'll show me the history of the place. Philadelphia has history in every corner; it's a beautiful place.

Q. What do you never travel without?

A. My iPhone -- if I don't take it with me, I die. In Cuba I didn't have a phone for 25 years. It's my music, it's my e-mails, it's my phone. It's my communication with everyone, my wife and son. It's everything.

Q. Any travel horror stories?

A. Once in a while our instruments don't make it. We were in Singapore -- we went from Miami to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Singapore, 25 hours of travel. Our instruments and clothes didn't make it, so we spent one day without anything. They showed up the next day. The best thing is when we don't have to play the day we arrive. I play with two pianos, and I need both. I've gone to New York, and the pianos didn't make it the same day, so I've had to call friends and track down pianos. It's a good thing I have friends.

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