Waltzing Across Texas: Los Texmaniacs and "Salvador"

We go to old time Tejano folk music for our random tune today. Los Texmaniacs were created in 1997 by Max Baca to play traditional conjunto and tejano music but also incorporate rock and jazz while honoring the old traditions. Baca was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and followed his grandfather and father in learning the accordion beginning at age 5. He was invited by one of his idols, the great Flaco Jiménez, to play in Jiménez' band in San Antonio where he learned to play the bajo sexto (bass) using all six sets of strings in the traditional style. In forming Los Texmaniacs, Baca wanted to keep alive the style of another groundbreaking band, the Texas Tornados. This waltz, Salvador, can be found on their 2012 release Texas Towns and Tex-Mex Sounds. According to the band, waltzes have become the unwanted stepchild of Tex-Mex music after centuries of being THE dance and music style. Now cumbia and other forms of music are more common, making this waltz a real throwback.