CONJUNTO ASSOCIATION HOLDS 11TH ANNUAL FREDDIE GOMEZ MEMORIAL CONCERT, MEMORIAM FOR GILBERTO PEREZ SR.

By South Texas Conjunto Association

The Annual Freddie Gomez Memorial Conjunto Concert returns to The Broken Sprocket for the second year this Sunday, September 18, 2022, as the STCA Brownsville Chapter commemorates its 11th Annual Conjunto Music celebration which was initially created in 2011 to revitalize the Brownsville Historic Downtown District. 

This year, the STCA will pay tribute to the Rio Grande Valley Conjunto Music Legend, Gilberto Perez Sr., from Mercedes, Texas who died last year on February 5, 2021. Sons, Gilberto Jr. and Javier Perez have assembled a new group of musicians to continue their father's traditional genre legacy and introduce new and inspiring Conjunto music. 

New members of the Gilberto Perez Jr. y Su Conjunto include accordionist, Cande Aguilar Jr., Epi Martinez on Bajo guitar and versatile musician/vocalist Derek Perales. 

The Annual Memorial program will include a special presentation of Legacy "In Memoriam" Trophies to former Gilberto Perez Sr. band members, Sons, Gilberto Jr. and Javier, Alfredo Saenz (posthumously) Cande Aguilar Sr., Rene Luna Sr., Juan Antonio Tapia and life-long collaborator and fellow STCA founder and President, Lupe Saenz. 

These Awards are being sponsored by Chris E. Trevino, owner of Trevino Tortillas from Billings, Montana, a long-time supporter of the STCA Annual Conjunto of the Year Awards program and its weekly Acordeones de Tejas TV Show.

Additionally, the STCA will bid a warm Welcome Home to Los Centellas de Houston and Antonio “Tony” Vasquez, who was born in Brownsville in 1939, son of Dario and Rosa Vasquez from La Villa Nueva, who as a teenager, learned how to play accordion by practicing with his brother’s 2-row accordion. 

In 1955, He and his family moved to Houston and by the age of 20, He and his brothers began playing at house parties and clubs. Soon thereafter they recorded their first 45 G.P. record and in 1985, started a band called JJ y Los Centellas (Sparks) and have recorded Conjunto music with TexMex, Joey, Hacienda and Pantera Records through the years. 

At the ripe old age of 83, Tony Vasquez still enjoys playing music and especially likes to see people have a good time, it gives him a reason to continue and with God's will, plans to keep playing Conjunto Music for as long as He can.

The Free to the Public Event starts at 7 p.m. with the Memorial and Awards ceremony, followed by its unique 15-Minute seven-rhythms Conjunto Marathon Dance Contest for Cash Prizes and then features Gilberto Perez Jr y Su Conjunto, performing from 8 pm to 9:15 pm and Los Centellas de Houston performing from 9:30 pm to 11 pm.

Contact Information:
The Broken Sprocket: (956) 545-0295
Lupe Saenz, STCA: (956) 463-6909
Timo Ruedas, STCA: (956) 545-8446
Gilberto Perez Jr;: c/o (956) 873-1448
Tony Vasquez: (281) 851-6492