Flaco Jimenez with Los Caminantes – Flaco’s First! / CD-370

Description

CD 370

Flaco with Los Caminantes:
Flaco Jiménez: accordion and vocals Henry Zimmerle: bajo sexto and vocals Roberto Cadena: vocals Roger Herrera: drums Mike Garza: bass.

The selections on this CD represent the best of Flaco Jiménez’s very first recordings made when he was playing with Los Caminantes at the young age of sixteen. All selections were originally recorded and produced by Hymie Wolf for his RIO label in San Antonio Texas between 1956 and 1958.

This is a gem for any lover of Tejano music especially for those who enjoy the old time rancheras polkas and boleros of this vintage. These recordings showcase the teenage Flaco as a remarkably fluid and accomplished accordionist. “Flaco’s First” is an excellent tribute to this GRAMMY award winning artist as it captures Flaco in his raw rootsy beginnings. Historical value aside this could be the soundtrack to any South Texas romance an engaging reminiscence that evokes a time when sharp dressed young Tejano slicksters courted their sweethearts to these tunes.

Warning: Considerable distortion can be heard due to the technology used at the time these recordings were made.

1. Recuerdos De Saginaw
2. Contigo No Mas
3. Nochecita
4. Mis Penas
5. Alma Enamorada
6. Me Siento Abandonado
7. Tratando Con Otro
8. La Complicada
9. Corazon Humano
10. Esta Noche Me La Paso Vacilando
11. Ya No Le Hagas Corazon
12. Falsa Promesa
13. Estando Yo Contigo
14. El Circo
15. Paloma Sin Nido
16. Negra Traicion
17. Nunca Pense
18. Se Acabo Mi Amor
19. Solito Lloro
20. Cartas Marcadas
21. Tienes Que Ser Mia
22. Corazon De Hierro
23. Ya Nunca Vuelvas
24. Siempre Hace Frio
25. Nada Perdi
26. Nuestros Amigos
27. Raquel Polka
28. Te Pido Que Me Quieras
29. Zancudo Electrico
30. Quisiera Verte

REVIEW

“The ability to make archival music available for popular consumption in clean-sounding renditions is one of the great side benefits of the CD revolution. It’s especially fun to enter the vaults of long-forgotten regional labels to sample the original recordings of now-celebrated artists and audibly witness the long-buried roots of their music. Arhoolie is a company noted for discovering and re-releasing such valuable material as well as repackaging obscure ethnic and regional fare. Early Cajun and border music is well represented in the Arhoolie catalog. In these two albums originally made in the ’50s for the RIO and Khoury labels we get to hear the first recordings of young bayou fiddler Dewey Balfa and conjunto accordion legend Flaco Jimenez as members of Elise Deshotel’s ensemble and Los Caminantes respectively. Both would go on to influence their musical genres in ways that would make these recordings little more than footnotes in long successful careers. But fans will get a kick out of hearing the raw enthusiasm and unpolished musicality in evidence here. History is rarely this much of a hoot.”

(Gary Dretzka — Chicago Tribune)