![]() |
Conjunto
Romero is a Tex-Mex/Norteño family band from the San Francisco Bay Area.
They play a very danceable blend of Mexican/Tejano music based around the
Gabbanelli diatonic 3-row accordion and the Mexican 12-string bajo sexto. The type of
music they play includes traditional South-Texas Conjunto styles with many
Polkas, Schottises and Redovas. Their Norteño sound, which has ties to
the Northern Mexican border area, is the driving force behind many of the
Rancheras, Cumbias and Boleros they perform. They have
been playing in and around the San Francisco Bay area since the group
formed in early 1999. Although they perform mainly at private events such
as special birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and other family socials,
they have performed at many public events such as San Francisco and
Richmond’s Cinco De Mayo Festivals, San Francisco’s annual Day of the
Accordion Festival and many functions sponsored by Contra Costa County’s
Celebrating Culture and Community. They have also had the pleasure of
performing at Boaz Accordions Music Salons, Down Home Music’s in-store
Concerts and Smythe’s Accordions Store events. The band
consists of two brothers, Alfredo Romero, drums; Valentin Romero Jr.,
accordion; their father, Valentin Romero Sr., bajo sexto; and their Uncle,
Lauro Guajardo, bass and accordion. The music has been in the family since
the early 1950s when Lauro was given his first 2-row Hohner accordion by
his father in Mississippi at the age of 15.. He is self-taught and has
become a master of the 3-row button box and has been playing for the last
30 years with various conjuntos in the SF Bay Area. Val Sr. started in the
early 1970s playing drums with Lauro’s conjunto and has since learned to
play the bajo sexto. In early 1998, following in the footsteps of their
father and uncle, 2nd generation brothers Alfredo and Val Jr. began taking
an interest in the music and started playing the drums and accordion. Other family members who assist and add to the band are: Sister Laura Romero, cousins Alma Jacuinde and Ricardo Salas, and their biggest supporter, mom, Benita Romero. They hope
that the enjoyment and love their families and friends have for this music
will also be felt by those who hear them. |