Well defined by his personal style as one of the most outstanding Cuban folkloric singers, Gregorio Hernández Ríos (Goyo) is a singular case, because this gift is joining some others skills, he is also an excellent percussionist, dancer and composer.

The avowed influenced as professor over diverse local and foreign musicians -pianist Alfredo Rodríguez highly appraised his participation in his Cuba Linda CD, via Rykodisc, 1996-, has earned him deserved recognition at the XV International Festival of Percussion (PERCUBA).

Having faced different stages since his early forays into the Rumba world at the humble neighborhood of El Moro, Arroyo Naranjo Municipality (he was inscribed as born in this neighborhood of Havana City on November 17, 1936, although he really is from Pinar del Río province), Gregorio is considered as one of the most authentic exponents of abakuá musical culture and an excellent transmitter of Yambú and Guaguancó`s values.

Founder and professor along 25 years of Conjunto Folclórico Nacional, Titular Professor from the Superior Institute of Art, creator of Universitary Folkloric Conjunct (1985), organizer and professor of Timba de Roma project, promoting folkloric chants and popular dances in the Bolonia (Italy), Rochester (United States), Victoria and Toronto(Canada) Universities.

If he is asked about whom he would like to thank, he states: In my large rumbera trajectory, you hardly notice from who you may learn; among my first tearchers I can mention Los Muñequitos de Matanzas in the persons of Juan Bosco, Saldiguera y Virulilla. I emerged as singer from Carlos Egüí Aguila, who taught me to do third voice. Afterwards, I started to imitate Chavalonga. Later on , I went to a party where Miguel Mesa (aspirina) was present and he was my deepest influence, without ignoring Eulogio Abreus (Amaraiano).

But Tio Tom, that leyend of Cuban Rumba to whom a monument must be created some day, has been my greatest stimulus. When I formed a duet with Juan de Dios, we attended the Baptism of Los Marqueses de Atarés`farola and he claimed: "let these boys cry (sing)''.

In the Cuban tradition, a good singer is defined by many things. In Goyo`s case. Which are these values? ''You can have a wide repertoire, but it is not the main value, but the domain of the style. I wasn't a famous percussionist. I started to be appraised as singer, also as dancer, although I keep on teaching percussion''.

The acknowledgement in PERCUBA 2004 is for him a recognition: ''I was the first to teach how to dance abakuá, since I started Rumba I felt interested in the rituals of that secret society only for men. My work Baroko is still remembered today, I presented it with Conjunto Folclórico Nacional, headed by Roberto Blanco, it brought some problems to me due to misunderstandings about the topic it was dealing with; but it was successful anyway''.

Boasting a valuable discography since 2000 when he recorded La rumba es cubana (Unicornio label), highlighting three Grammy Prizes due to his contribution to Buenos Hermanos CD by Ibrahim Ferrer and Mambo Sinuendo by Manuel Galván, Goyo is still working: among the inmediate projects are a multimedia about La Rumba and an homage CD for Tío Tom.

Taken from Omar Vázquez work published on Granma Newspaper. April/2004.

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