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Vicente Gomez

Vicente Gomez was born in Madrid in 1911. His father owned a tavern in the city's red light district, frequented by sailors and gypsies. It was there, in the kitchen, where the young Vicente, at age 6, began practicing the guitar, picking up flamenco rhythms from the patrons. At 12 he began classical training with Quintin Esquembre, a former pupil of Tarrega, at Madrid's Real Conservatorio. He performed his first concert one year later. Pianist Artur Rubenstein heard him play and encouraged him to embark on a professional career. He began with a tour in North Africa and Italy, composed for and appeared in some Spanish films, meanwhile, continuing to play in his father's tavern, all before reaching the age of 25.

In 1936 he was invited to perform in Russia. On the day of his debut, in Leningrad, the Spanish civil war erupted. As a loyalist, opposed to Franco, his return to Spain would have put him in danger of imprisonment. Instead, he took refuge in France, then accepted bookings in Cuba and Mexico.

A radio broadcast from Mexico City caught the ear of an American booking agent who persuaded him to come to New York where he debuted at Town Hall, then appeared at the famous Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center. The following year he was presented as a guest artist on NBC Radio's "The Magic Key Hour" which led to his signing for his own 15 minute broadcast coast to coast every Sunday afternoon following Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra.

Decca released is first album in 1939 (#8 in their catalog), an association that prospered through more than a dozen albums over 25 years. Appearances at popular nightclubs such as The Blue Angel and The Versailles, and Broadway shows, (most notably "Sailors Beware" with Mary Martin) followed.

In 1941, composer Alfred Newman invited Gomez to contribute some "background" music for the 20th Century-Fox film, "Blood and Sand" starring Tyrone Power. He wrote and performed half a dozen songs, including "Verde Luna", which effectively captured the essence of the, then, newcomer Rita Hayworth.

After discharge from the U.S. Army in 1946, Gomez opened his own nightclub, "La Zambra," on New York's famous 52nd Street. His nightly performances there drew the elite from Broadway and Hollywood. The club was selected as the site for the New York portion of the 1950 Academy Award presentations. It also became the meeting place for the Classical Guitar Society of New York, which Sr. Gomez served as vice president. Over the next decade, he made frequent contributions, both as composer and performer, to a cluster of Hollywood films, some good, some best forgotten. Among them: "Captain from Castile," "The Snows of Kilamanjaro," "The Sun Also Rises," "The Kissing Bandit," "The Furies," and "The Fighter."

In 1953 he opened the Academy of Spanish Arts in Los Angeles; a school devoted to teaching classical and flamenco guitar, flamenco dance, ballet, the Spanish language, even bull fighting.

During his Los Angeles years, in addition to film work, he composed incidental music for Garcia-Lorca's play, "Blood Wedding" background music for an documentary on Spanish painter, Francisco Goya," and "Rio Flamenco," a concerto for guitar and orchestra.

Following a farewell tour of Europe in 1958 Vicente Gomez retired to teaching and composing. He died in December 2001 at the age of 90.