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.
