Flaco Jimenez - Como Amigos (2003)

Flaco Jimenez is een Tejano, een muzikant uit het grensgebied van Texas en Mexico. "Flaco" wordt omschreven als "a heavy weight in Texas Chicano (or Tejano) music". de man werd geboren in San Antonio, Texas en is inmiddels 84 jaar oud. een Amerikaan met Mexicaanse roots. hij is een singer/songwriter, maar bovenal een virtuoze accordeonist. deze verzamelaar bevat opnames die voor kleine regionale labels werden gemaakt, waarvan de rechten later verkregen werden door Hacienda Records. het is pure, onvervalste Tex-Mex uit zijn hoogtijdagen, zoals ik de man het liefste hoor. "Flaco" maakt inmiddels al jaren geen albums meer, i.t.t. zijn broer Santiago Jimenez Jr. die al 27 albums op zijn naam heeft staan

voor degenen die wat meer willen weten over de man, geef ik hier het e.e.a. weer uit de liner notes
(van San Antonio Express-News Music reporter Ramiro Burr):

quote
"What B.B. King is to the blues, or George Jones is to traditional country, Grammy-winning accordionist Flaco Jimenez is to the world of Tex-Mex Conjunto. Jimenez is universally recognized as a leading exponent of the authentic South Texas Conjunto. While there are many masters of the accordion along the Texas-Mexican border, none have toured Europe, Japan and other points overseas or recorded with as many pop, rock and country artists as Jimenez. By all accounts, Jimenez is an international icon for the accordion-fueled Conjunto genre"

"Flaco's father, Santiago Jimenez Sr. was labeled the "father" of Conjunto music. He was a forerunning artist in his own right. At the age of seven, Leonardo was already performing with his father live on. He acquired a love for the music and would make a career out of it. By the time he was 15 Flaco was already making records as a member of Los Caporales and soon thereafter was given his father's nickname of "Flaco", which means skinny. Playing the local saloons and dance halls in San Antonio for many years, he acquired a solid reputation as a unique musician and stylist. In the 60's he teamed up with fellow musician Doug Sahm, the founding member of the famous rock band The Sir Douglas Quintet, and went on to New York to jam with Bob Dylan and Dr. John. From there he travelled the world with Ry Cooder, receiving international acclaim for his contributions to Cooder's landmark album "Chicken Skin Music"

Flaco's Conjunto style music is derived from many cultural backgrounds: from its original Tex-Mex style to Honky-Tonk Country and Rock and Roll, to the ever-present Tejano music. His unique style of playing earned him five Grammys"
unquote