Jorge Gómez, pianist, composer and musical director of Miami's Tiempo Libre talks with Michael Stone.

When a group of young Cubans converged in Miami and began to play timba, the popular Cuban dance form, the future members of Tiempo Libre had no idea what might ensue. The group's musical director, pianist-composer Jorge Gómez says, "We never imagined this, but life has been guiding us to those moments where we had to act. We started with timba in Miami, and everyone said, 'You're crazy. It won't work, no one knows the music, there's no audience.' But we kept playing timba, and things started happening. We were invited to produce for a theater piece about the story of our lives, called 'Miami Libre.' Then we started giving classes. When we give a concert, people asked us, can you give classes? Sure, so we go to a kindergarten or a university and do a workshop." Upcoming invitations include artist-in-residence programs at Michigan State University and Interlochen Academy.