“All excellent singers have a special tone: it’s something beyond issues of pitch, power and phrasing, some personal grain that makes them strong and strange. The Cuban singer Pepito Gómez’s vocal tone is … a beneficent alarm, a positive shout,”
-Ben Ratliff, The New York Times
Mr. Gomez, who was a member of the band Pupy y los que Son Son before he left Cuba last year … is another order of performer. For about five minutes he improvised in his thundering, needling high voice, finally settling on a narrow pitch area, starting every torrent with “oye!,” making the band members look at one another in astonishment and play harder.
-Ben Ratliff, The New York Times
The atmosphere at Roulette on Feb. 7 was dynamic and immersive in its Cuban offerings, which included an hourlong open bar of mojitos, a dance performance from the local Cuban salsa dance troupe Fuákata and a boisterous live set by Mr. Gómez, formerly of the prominent Cuban timba band Pupy y Los Que Son Son.
-Stacy Anderson, The New York Times
José “Pepito” Gómez represents his homeland well with stirring dance tunes and a commanding stage presence.
-Time Out NY
When the name José “Pepito” Gómez is mentioned, people listen. This former vocalist for one of the hottest Cuban Salsa bands today, “Pupy y Los Que Son Son”, is a major reason this band has been so successful.
– Salsatlanta.com
What a Voice! – For the first hour of last night’s rehearsal Pepe Gómez sang with a rhythm section of just piano, bass and clave, revealing every resonant nuance of his magnificent tenor voice as he soared through the string of classic hits he created with Pupy Pedroso y Los Que Son Son. Every note is perfectly in-tune, perfectly controlled, and capable of exploding into euphoric emotion at any instant. It took me 8 years to finally hear this guy live but now I fully understand what all the buzz was about.
-Kevin Moore, Timba.com 3-13-09
Mr. Pedroso, former pianist for Los Van Van, has released one superb project after another, and this one is clearly the modern masterpiece to reckon with — a new definition of salsa Cubana, using the best elements of timba and young vocalist José “Pepito” Gómez.. who could sing fresh life into the dead.
-Descarga.com
Also on hand was vocalist Pepito Gomez, another Cuban guest artist and resident of the New York area, who whipped the audience into a frenzy
– Chico Alvarez-Latin Beat Magazine regarding the Afro-Cuban All Stars show at Town Hall, NY
So I am happy to report that his new release Mi Timba Cerra (Egrem) is deeply fabbo as well with no let-up in the high standards. Opening with his signature tune “De la Timba A Pogolotti,” the tone is immediately set with the complex drums and horn section that has layers of sound as solid as rock. The vocals from the line up of Arnando “Mandy” Cantero,” and José “Pepito” Gómez are perfect matches and counterpoints of color and harmonies.
-Technobeat World Music Reviews