An enduring cross-cultural exchange occurred in 19th-century Texas when Mexicans heard the accordion-powered polka of Central European immigrants and made the music their own. On their latest CD, the Grammy-winning Tex-Mex stars Los Texmaniacs stir the pot with a lively mix of upbeat rhythms, English and Spanish lyrics and an irrepressible call to the dance floor for some old-fashioned swing your partner round and round. Many of the songs date to the middle of the last century, including waltzes and country numbers such as Marty Robbins' familiar hit “El Paso,” barbecued slowly in Tex Mex hot sauce.
Los Texmaniacs
Texas Towns & Tex-Mex Sounds (Smithsonian Folkways)
