The latest installment in Arhoolie/Folklyric’s extensive survey of Tex-Mex border traditions focuses on the rise of the accordion. The diatonic button accordion came to Texas via the Bohemian, Czech and Catholic German immigrants who settled in the there as early as 1820. Before the 30’s, the accordion was concidered low-class, played by rough country folks at bordello dances. The polite music of the day was played on a violin, accompanied by the flute and bajo sexto, a low voiced 12 string guitar of Spanish origin. It wasn’t until the advent of radio, and the enormous commercial popularity of these very performers, did the accordion enter Tejano society through the front door.

9 accordionists are collected  here, from the obscure (piano accordionist R.de Leon) to the very well known (Don Santiago Jimenez, the orginial “El Flaco”.) Accordion music was, and is, music for the dance, and the dances of the day bely this music’s heritage; the European schottis, redova, mazurka and polka,the Mexican huapango, cancion’ ranchera and vals bajito.

 The elder Jimenez revolutionized the conjunto lineup by adding the propulsion of the slaped string bass or “tololoche”, a tip he picked up from the anglo “hillbilly” bands in San Antonio. Thses two polkas are as good example as any of the jaunty, confident sound that distinguished his compositions. He was also a powerful vocalist, but his first recording were strictly instrumental and mostly polka. Note the bowed string bass on “La Napolera”, a singular innovation that was not widely copied.

However even in his prime, Don Santiago cannot match the immense influence of San Benito Tx’s Narcisco Martinez. Arhoolie has already dedicated an entire CD to prodigious composer Martinez, “El Hurracan del Valle”, but that release did not include the gorgeous mazurka “El Amor de Panchita”,which alone is worth the purchase price of this CD. Musicians and critical listeners should pay carefull attention to the simple, yet elegant bajo sexto work of Martinez’s long time accompainist Santiago Alemaida. Their old style duet, a south Texas Tommy & Fred if you will, produces more music here than most full bands ever imagine.

On the down side, the liner notes are a bit hit or miss, unfortuneatly. I could do without essay on the button accordion by Ry Cooder (?!), personally. And do we really need the first recorded versions of “Cielito Lindo” and “La Cucaracha?” These particular performances certianlly shed no light on those tunes. Relatively minor beefs for a compilation, however. It’s not a comprehensive overview by any means, but an excellent introduction to old-time Tejano accordion. Worth it alone for the Martinez.

Mark Rubin
10/11/96