Ibae: Ricardo Gomez Santa Cruz Ribeiro

Ricardo Gómez Santa Cruz
undated photo, collection El Goyo

Sad news from Havana: Ricardo Gómez Santa Cruz died Friday July 30 of prostate cancer.

Born July 26 1932 in Havana, at Santiago 5, between Zanja and Salud, "Santa Cruz" was a member of the comparsas Los Marqueses, La Jardinera y Los Dandys de Belén. He was a founding member of the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional. He was known principally as a singer and dancer, and especially admired as a "columbia" specialist.

His singing can be heard on the 'Homenaje a Jesús Pérez" LP, and on the unreleased album known as "Rapsodia Rumbera 2" here.

Santa Cruz
in the Conjunto Foklórico Nacional Catalog, 1963

Santa Cruz in Atarés,
February 2008

Here is some video of Santa Cruz singing guaguancó in 2008. Tremendo rumbero, que descanse en paz.