LIFE BIOGRAPHY

Rene was born on July 27, 1979 in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.  He lived in Rio Piedras/Trujillo Alto until the age of 9.  He migrated with his parents to Amherst, MA, a college-town of high reputation among education-minded individuals.  He attended the Amherst public schools, and graduated from the Amherst Regional High School.  He attended the University of Massachusetts, where he attained a Bachelor's Degree in Legal Studies and a subsequent Master's Degree in Political Science (with a concentration in Comparative Politics, International Relations, and a personal interest in Latin American Affairs).  His current educational status is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Massachusetts, although he is currently working at a State university in the Providence/Boston area.

ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Percussionist/Performer with Criollo Clasico - https://members.tripod.com/Lilor/
Drummer/Performer with MarKamusic - http://www.markamusic.net
Alumni of the Bilingual College Program, University of Massachusetts
Member of Umass Latino Alumni - http://www.umasslatinoalumni.com

MUSIC BIOGRAPHY

Rene Gonzalez has been a multi-percussionist, focusing on Afro-Cuban-Puerto Rican music styles since the age of 9. The son of Jose Gonzalez, a respected guitarrist/Puerto Rican Cuatro player, bandmember and musical director of such groups and individuals as Ruben Blades, Giovanni Hidalgo, Roy Brown, Andres Jimenez, and Danny Rivera, Rene has been intimately involved with the Latin music scene from an early age.

Beginning studies in drums with his father at the age of 6, Rene studied
Rock and Funk. He began an early apprenticeship with noted Puerto Rican
percussionist Freddie Moreno in Timbales, Bongos, Congas, and Latin
percussion until the age of 24. Enrolling at the University of
Massachusetts' Music Department, Rene studied straight-ahead jazz, big band jazz, and rudimental studies with acclaimed concert percussionist Peter Tanner and Berklee Drumset teacher, John Ramsay.

Rene has performed in various settings, playing virtually most North
American and Caribbean styles of music. Recently, Rene has performed
steadily with two groups, his father's quartet and larger Afro-Cuban combos
(https://members.tripod.com/~Lilor/) and a South-American/Caribbean fusion
group, MarKamusic (http://www.markamusic.net). Rene is also a freelance
drummer/percussionist, available in the Providence, RI and Boston, MA areas.

PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS:

Tito Puente, Giovanni Hidalgo, Jose Gonzalez, Roy Brown, Fred Tillis, Jeff Holmes, John Ramsay