Mariachi Real de San Diego is the real deal

Group's latest CD is cradle-to-grave survey of traditional Mexican music

By Mikel Toombs, SDNN

Sunday, May 31, 2009And I started hanging out with these guys and I was admiring them. I started wanting to learn more and more."

Initially, Gonzalez wasn't the leader of Mariachi Real, but he assumed the role due to his background

"I'm an ex-Marine, so to me you have to be squared away. I make sure that they have haircuts, they shave and they all look good. Amazingly, people really check you out when you're performing -- especially the women, believe me," Gonzalez said, adding, "Some of the groups will show up late and they don't care. Me, I have to be on time. We used to say in the Marine Corps, 'Hurry up and get ready to wait.' But when you arrive, you arrive on time."

Mauricio Gonzalez, who grew up (he's now 32) playing "Beatles and rock 'n' roll music" on the Fender guitar Dad (just turned 60) got him, made a less-than-timely arrival in Mariachi Real. He was attending the University of Southern California when, for culture day, he decided to do a presentation on mariachi music.

"So he went on the Internet and started looking at the roots of where mariachi was born and all the history. And then he said, 'I'd like to take a video of you guys playing, but I'd like to be in it.' OK. So I got him a suit from one of the guys and he put it on. And he got a guitar, a six-string guitar," Gonzalez recalled.

"And when we finished doing the video presentation, he said, 'You know, Dad, this is something I've wanted to do all my life: standing on the stage. It's just something that I'd like to do.' And I said, 'Why didn't you ever tell me, son?'"

Mikel Toombs is an SDNN contributor. You can reach him at mikeltoombs(at)gmail.com