NATIONAL [PREFERRED TERM] MONTH, PT 8

If you saw that photo above and didn't know who it was, you'd wonder what the the hell the guy was up to. He looks like an extra from a Quentin Tarantino or Robert Ramirez film, like that accordion is going to turn into a machine gun. I don't  know, there's something about that photo that sucks me in. Obviously he looks badass. Badass, as in don't make me put this thing down self assured badass.

The self assured badass is Esteban Jordan, a master of the accordion. Revered in squeeze box circles. He was the first to use effects with an accordion. Check this video. It's Tex Mex psych, like dub in places. The visual effects are total public access TV.

There's a few songs below and a link to a concise obituary profile from 2010 at NPR within it a first hand account of the author trying to interview him. I did not know he could get every bit as pissy as Mr. Baker.

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Listen:
Esteban Jordan - Las Coronelas mp3 at Let's Polka
Esteban Jordan - Squeeze Box Man mp3 at Super Sonido
Esteban Jordan - You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling mp3 at To the Sublime
Esteban Jordan - Polkaplex (streaming) at YouTube
Video:
Esteban Jordan - El Casabel at YouTube From Austin City Limits
Esteban Jordan - Clockwise at YouTube
Visit:
Remembering Esteban 'Steve' Jordan, Genius Of The Accordion at NPR

SQUEEZE BOX COOL

I completely forgot that yesterday was Mexican Independence Day. And Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica all had their Independence Days last Thursday, the 15th. Chile has their on the 18th and Belize on the 21st. But the U.S. has a grab bag way of celebrating all of them, Hispanic Heritage Month. That awkward name, as opposed to Latinx or some other more appropriate term, was picked up by the Washington eggheads from the U.S. Census (read about it here). Anyway, it gives me a opportunity to feature music from all of Latin America for the next few weeks, not exclusively but more than usual.

For whatever reason, the first person that came to mind was Flaco Jimenez. He was actually born in Texas but is Mexican and his fix was Norteño, Tex Mex and Tejano music. When I hear his music it reminds me of my first visits to Mexico. I grew up (and am still growing up) in San Diego, roughly twenty miles from Tijuana. A rite of passage when I was younger was to go to TJ and drink. The drinking age in Mexico was 18 and in San Diego the drinking age is 21. It is not hard math for a thirsty young adult. In the bars, restaurants and in shops you heard all sorts of Mexican music. A lot of it was like Flaco's. I'm thirsty.

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Listen:
Flaco Jiménez - El Pata Caliente mp3 at Let's Polka
Flaco Jiménez - Laureles mp3 at Let's Polka

NATIONAL [PREFERRED TERM] MONTH, PT 7

Whoah! I almost forgot that National Hispanic Heritage Month is still going on and I haven't posted Flaco Jimenez! When it comes to accordion (don't you fucking dare dis the accordion), in Norteño, Tex Mex and Tejano, he's the man. And he's recorded with Dr. John, David Lindley, Ry Cooder. Bob Dylan, Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens, and the Stones. He's received four Lifetime Achievement Awards from four different organizations, one of them a Grammy.

Here's a couple of Flaco proper and two with the Texas Tornadoes, the Tex-Mex supergroup consisting of Flaco, Doug Sahm, Freddy Fender and Augie Meyers. There's a bunch of videos at YouTube from throughout his career. The one above is from 1976.

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Listen:
Flaco Jiménez - El Pata Caliente mp3 at Let's Polka
Flaco Jiménez - Laureles mp3 at Let's Polka
The Texas Tornados - Guacamole mp3 at A.Tumblr (?)
The Texas Tornados - Que Paso mp3 at The Rising Storm
Visit:
Flaco Jiménez - Interview at PBS
Flaco Jiménez at Wikipedia

EL PARCHE, EL BADASS

I went to a comedy thing last night, my sister competing against a handful of other comics in a competition where the best four move on to the next round. She made it to the next round, thank you very much, but not before some objectionable material was presented. Objectionable to me and about zero others in the room. It wasn't a particular word, or anything lewd or disgusting. That stuff doesn't offend me much. In her hilarious bit about taco shops, she mentioned that she could only tolerate the accordion in norteño music because it came with tacos attached. It didn't bother me that my sister has an aversion to norteño music. Like I said, it was likely just me that was bothered by the statement. What bothers me is that norteño music, including the variant Tex-Mex, is unappreciated in general by music lovers that consider themselves open to all sorts of other types of music. Why this is, I'm not certain. But I thought I might try to change my sister's mind, and perhaps others, by posting some stuff I liked. Flaco Jimenez was to be Exhibit A. To further my case, I went for a handy Exhibit B, and that's when the wheels came off. Fucking Esteban "Steve" Jordan. That guy was so damn nuts. It's not often that you think of Hendrix, Coltrane or even King Tubby, when you're thinking about the accordion, but, man, Jordan liked to fuck with things. He might not convince my sister to reevaluate norteño music, Tex-Mex or the accordion, but I think we can all appreciate his style; his, I don't know, undefinable weirdness. Surely my sister digs weird.

First thing you notice is his appearance. Is he an overly groomed ladies man, or will he rip your head off? I'm not going into that, I don't want to ruin it for anyone unfamiliar with him. He just looks like that. Before you start digging for his backstory, check these. "Las Coronelas" is a pretty straight up, with a couple tweaked parts. I could do without the chorus. It gets better. "Squeeze Box Man" is more my speed, accordion funk as far as I'm concerned. "Polkaplex" was written for his beloved Echoplex. Really. Ode to a tape delay. But wait, don't skip the videos. Start with the early one, "Ela Casabel". So fucking good. The cowbell, or whatever it is, is really prominent in the mix which kinda adds to it. Stick around for the flute solo by another member of the band. It smokes, even in that context. No, especially in that context. It's early Jordan too, but you can tell that he already knows he's badass. Next check "Fly Robin Fly". Dude goes effects crazy. Disco Tejano dub. Kraftwerk meets King Tubby in Texas. Something like that. "Clockwise" is insane. Stick around until at least :49 seconds into it. That's where he really takes off. If you have any doubts about whether this is jazz, replace the accordion with a sax. What didn't he do with that thing?

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Listen:
Esteban Jordan - Las Coronelas mp3 at Let's Polka
Esteban Jordan - Squeeze Box Man mp3 at Super Sonido
Esteban Jordan - You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling mp3 at To the Sublime
Esteban Jordan - Polkaplex (streaming) at YouTube
Video:
Esteban Jordan - El Casabel at YouTube From Austin City Limits
Esteban Jordon - Fly Robin Fly at YouTube
Esteban Jordan - Clockwise at YouTube

EL PARCHE

Seriously. Just take a look at that publicity photo. It's Esteban Jordan, a San Antonio musician. Obviously an accordion player. With a look like that, the guy could sing disco songs about dog shit and I'd still eat it up.  But he didn't. What he did do was stretch the boundaries of Tex-Mex, using effects (fuzz, echo, phase shifters), and elements of soul, jazz, funk, and rock 'n' roll to suit his fancy, unknowingly creating what sounds like Tex-Mex psych dub. So, he liked to fuck with things. Cool. But you know what I really like about him? The guy played thirty five different instruments, and chose the accordion. Lest you think he was just some freak that was disregarded by peers, he recorded with Flaco Jimenez, and that's just about all the squeeze box cred that's needed. 

If you think I was kidding about the Tex-Mex psych dub thing, check the video below. As cool looking as it is, let it rip, without watching the screen. I gotta find this record. Maaaan. And take a listen to "Squeeze Box Man", Really. It's funky as all get out.There's also a video of him doing "Summertime" below, as in Gershwin's (posted Ricky Nelson's version of the same song a couple days ago). While I'm not keen on the more contemporary jazz feel, and the scat thing he throws in there, I gotta stand back and marvel at the weirdness of it.

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Listen:
Esteban Jordan - Las Coronelas mp3 at Let's Polka
Esteban Jordan - Squeeze Box Man mp3 at Super Sonido
Esteban Jordan - El Cascabel (streaming) at La Planga
Esteban Jordan - You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling mp3 at To the Sublime
Video:
Esteban Jordan - Summertime at YouTube
Tito Lavaria with Esteban Jordan - Radio Head at YouTube From the film True Stories 

CHUG, JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT.

It's Sunny Ozuna Hour over here. Pop one. It's that kinda music. I'd say there really isn't anything that needs to be said, but that would be a cop out. I'm just not in the mood for gabbing. There's a lot to be said. For now, just guzzle these.

.

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Listen:
Sunny & the Sunliners - No One Else Will Do mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban
Sunny & the Sunliners - Hip Huggin' Mini mp3 at Rock 'n' Soul Ichiban Highly recommended
Sunny & the Sunlners - Get Down mp3 at NowAgain Highly recommended
Tex Mex:
Sunny And The Sunliners- Triste Y Lastimado (streaming) at YouTube
Sunny Ozuna - Carino Nuevo (streaming) at YouTube
Check this!:
20 Masterpieces of Latin Soul at Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven
Visit:
Sunny Ozuna - Official site

THE MANY MOODS OF BALDEMAR

Here's a little stumble from today.  I was in a Latin mood, in search of boogaloo.  I ended up at Super Sonido, which is where I usually begin a Latin music hunt, listening to Freddy Fender and the Comancheros' "Boogaloo en Monterey," which doesn't sound like boogaloo at all.  It's funky as shit. And the production, it has something in it, some sort of secret ingredient, and it ain't slick.  I don't even want to know whether the sound, the slight echo (or whatever it is), or the overall vibe was intentional.  All I know is that it does sound good now, in a "they don't make 'em like that anymore" sort of way.

I came across some other earlier stuff under other names (he was born Baldemar Huerta). "Pancho Rock" and "Acapulco Rock" are both early Tejano rock.  "I Love Mi Ranchero" is some later Tex-Mex.  He's got a pretty varied dossier there, and that's without the Texas Tornados or Los Super 7.  Man, though, that "Boogalloo en Monterey" is a killer.

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Listen:
Freddy Fender and the Comancheros - Boogaloo en Monterey mp3 at Super Sonido
Baldemar Huerta - Pancha Rock mp3 at Vuelve  Primavera 
Eddie y Los Shades - Acapulco Rock mp3 at Vuelve  Primavera
Freddy Fender - I Love Mi Rancho Grande mp3 at Lil Mikes
Visit:
Freddy Fender at Wikipedia

IF THAT'S WHAT YOU SAY IT IS

It was a one-two punch.  Actually a one-two-three punch.  I've never considered myself a huge Tex-Mex fiend.  I could take it or leave it.  It was one of those types of music that was always in that larger genre, "I'll get to that."  But it was a random click on The Adios Lounge (punch one) that made me loosen up.  Already on my map because of this post some time ago, I was occasionally poking around over there.  Several months ago I clicked randomly on a song by the George Baker Selection, "Little Green Bag" (punch two).  I don't remember my mood that night, but it was one of those nights that I was randomly clicking on multiple sites trying to expose myself to stuff completely unknown to me.  "Little Green Bag" most certainly hit the spot.  It was in a post about Tex-Mex and the host was drawing parallels all over the place, and, as the George Baker Selection were Dutch, I was essentially entering Tex-Mex World through the back door.

  

I bookmarked the post, with plans on going back.  I should point out that my exposure to Tex-Mex was/is limited.  I've got an Augie Meyers LP, a Texas Tornadoes cassette, a Billy Bacon and the Forbidden Pigs CD, and have heard "She's About A Mover," like most of you, about a zillion times.  But still, I laid back.  Then, a few weeks ago I pulled out the Forbidden Pigs "Pig Latin," out and was listening to it as I drove around (punch three).  Now, part of it may have been knowing Bacon's demeanor, because he was the friend of a friend years ago, I used to see the Forbidden Pigs regularly. For whatever reason, "Pig Latin" was pushing buttons.  The album is a compilation of Tex-Mex type stuff that Bacon's band did over the years. Long story short, I'm now ankle deep in Tex Mex shit over at the Adios Lounge.  C'mon over.

This is the Beatles.  Might as well be.  The Tex-Mex Beatles.  What a goddamn line-up.   

Here's just a smattering, some Tex-Mex only by a loose thread, but they are all really, really cool.  I can't put it any better way.  (Sadly, I couldn't find any Billy Bacon stuff.)

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 Listen:
George Baker Selection - Little Green Bag mp3 at The Adios Lounge
Barbara Lynn - You Can't Buy My Love mp3  at The Adios Lounge
Sir Douglas Quintet - She Digs My Love (1965-66) mp3 at The Adios Lounge 
Sir Douglas Quintet - Please Just Say So (1966) mp3 at The Adios Lounge
Sir Douglas Quintet - She's About A Mover (1965) mp3 at the Adios Lounge
Video:
Sir Douglas Quintet - Mendicino (from Playboy After Dark) at YouTube
The George Baker Selection - Little Green Bag at YouTube 
Visit:
The Adios Lounge: Sir Douglas posts 
The Adios Lounge Tex-Mex posts (some overlapping here)

EL MEJOR JERRY, EL MEJOR

Flaco Jiménez has been around a long ass time. I dig him. Maybe it's because I've spent just about my whole life about twenty minutes from Mexico. I don't know. Is it a border thing? I can't be objective. Flaco's the best. (The best, Jerry, the best.)

Here's a few by him, and a Texas Tornados cut that's really good. The Texas Tornado were some sort of Tex-Mex supergroup weren't they? Doug Sahm, Augie Meyers, Freddy Fender and Flaco Jimenez, in one band. Fuck-'n-A. Beats the Traveling Wilburys, hands down if you ask me. And whoever's on pedal steel on the cut below is pretty badass too.

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Listen:
Flaco Jiménez - El Pata Caliente mp3 at Let's Polka
Flaco Jiménez - Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio mp3 at 4Shared
Flaco Jiménez - Laureles mp3 at Let's Polka
Flaco Jiménez - En El Cielo No Hay Cerveza mp3 at L.A. East Side
The Texas Tornados - Hey Baby, Que Paso? mp3 at Geolibro.org
Visit:
Flaco Jiménez - Interview at PBS
Flaco Jiménez at Wikipedia Please somebody, if you have a discography, add add it to the wiki thing!