Los Texas Wranglers

Flaco & Max
Legends & Legacies (Smithsonian Folkways)
Los Texas Wranglers
Aye, Que Tan Bonita (Deep South Austin Records)

Blues ceded its sound-of-our-town designation long before Gary Clark Jr. appeared on the scene, but squeeze-box polkas go back more than a century in Central Texas. Flaco Jiménez, third generation accordionist bandleader, passed the torch to bajo sexto stringer Max Baca by enlisting him for the Texas Tornados. Now, the younger conjunto purveyor has a Grammy with his Los Texmaniacs, and only four more to go to match his mentor. Thus, Smithsonian Folkways plies trademark higher education in these 17 effervescent duets (with attendant rhythm section) that span key standards (opener "Margarita, Margarita"), lilting waltzes ("Jardín de las Flores"), and a quartet of three-button symphonies penned by Flaco's father Santiago Jiménez Sr. Whether Baca takes lead on a ranchera ballad and shows off the natural, down-tuned goodness of his big-ass gut-string serenader ("Me Voy Lejos"), or Jiménez, 75, lights up his rich, juicy, roadside carnival tones ("Beer-Drinking Polka), Legends & Legacies lives up to its billing. Equally plucky, Los Texas Wranglers state their intent both on the cover of Aye, Que Tan Bonita and its opening verse: "I got married in New York City/ To a cutie sweetie pie/ She made me so happy/ That I can't deny/ When it came to her cooking/ I puked and almost died/ I should've stayed in Texas/ Where the girls are southern fried." Cue the accordion. Odes to Texanitas might, in lesser hands, touch off a cantina emborrachada, but the deep South Austin quintet instead follows the leader in singer Amador Salazar, whose style might somehow be an anagram of his first name – deeply plush, romantic. Cumbia con sal y limón. Cheryl Burke's "cover model" swimwear slips off on the title track, while "En Tejas" tours the state in a song – all of it as tropical as a beach scene. Lead-off batter "Good Ol' Texas Girls" is still the tune to beat, however: "I love those Texas ladies/ They know how to satisfy/ Barbecue is second nature/ Then there's that chicken fried/ A slap of country ribs/ Tater salad and a cold Lone Star/ That's just the first course/ Of those good ol' Texas girls."
(Legends & Legacies) ****
(Aye, Que Tan Bonita) *** - Austin Chronicle

Sunday, Sept. 22, the El Flamingo Club will welcome Los Texas Wranglers for a traditional Sunday tardeada. The popular Austin-based conjunto will bring their friendly, down-home style to the southeast Austin dancehall (also known as the Flamingo Ballroom) for an afternoon of conjunto, country, and dancing.
Earlier this year, Los Texas Wranglers celebrated the release of their newest cd, Mi Canciones, which includes original material written by bandleader Julian Limón Fernandez. The group, which features veteran musicians and female voices, is a hard-working conjunto with a loyal fan base that loves to dance to the group’s unique blend of country and conjunto music. Fernandez has won Austin Music Awards for Best Drummer, accordionist Mariano “Sonny” Trujillo has won in the Miscellaneous Instruments category, and the group has also won for Best Latin Traditional Band as well.
Long story short: Wranglers dances are always easy-going, fun, family-friendly events. No one is a stranger, and there are lots of smiles, laughter, and great tunes from some great musicians. - Austin Vida