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Tejano Roots:
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Narciso Martínez - accordion and his conjunto.
Narciso Martinez is the father of what is today known in South Texas as Conjunto Music. He was no the first accordionist in the genre to record, but Narciso's stacato attack and emphasis on the melody leaving the bass parts to his superb bajo sexo player Santiago Almeida, along with excellent distribution of his records, made him the most popular and influential player from the 1930s into the 1950s. narciso Martinez' sound and repertoire became the role model for almost every conjunto accordionist who followed him.
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Listen to some of the tracks!! (uses RealAudio®) 1.Muchachos Alegres ‚ (3:05) 2.La Chulada ‚ (2:41) 3.Vidita Mía ‚ (2:47) 4.Saludamos A Texas ‚ (2:23) 5.Amor De Madre ‚ (2:25) 6.Del Valle A San Antonio ‚ (2:21) 7.Luzita ‚ (2:19) 8.El Lucero ‚ (2:15) 9.La Estrellita ‚ (2:42) 10.Medalla De Dios ‚ (3:05) 11.Flor de México ‚ (2:34) 12.Silencio de La Noche ‚ (2:31) 13.Muchacha Bonita ‚ (2:29) 14.Alice y San Diego ‚ (2:20) 15.Arrancame El Corazón ‚ (2:34) 16.Salvador ‚ (2:49) 17.Petrita ‚ (2:41) 18.Patricia ‚ (2:32) 19.Malagradecida ‚ (2:51) 20.Los Arbolitos ‚ (2:34) 21.La Reina De San Benito ‚ (2:18) 22.Si Fue Por Eso ‚ (2:39) 23.Florecita ‚ (2:30) 24.Sin Haber Por Que ‚ (2:36) 25.La Desvelada ‚ (2:58) 26.Enaguas Almidonadas ‚ (2:28) |
REVIEWS “Narciso Martínez was possibly the most influential pioneer of the conjunto accordion. Figuring that the rhythm and bass lines of his music could be provided quite adequately by the bajo sexto, Martinez left the bass buttons of his box gathering dust and, free of their constraints, succeeded in doing new and wonderful things with the treble buttons. Two-button trills, syncopated octave playing, lush chords, cross-row runs and bellows vibrato are amongst the tricks on display on a selection of lively polkas, schottishes and mazurkas recorded in the '40s and '50s.Martínez's lack of a singing voice proved a bar to commercial success but, amongst the instrumentals, he is heard backing popular vocalists of the day, including Lydia Mendoza and Carmen & Laura - sweet singers who highlight the scarcity of women in contemporary conjuntos. (Note for melodeon players: Martínez played a two-row Hohner pokerwork - listen, and be humble.)” (Brian Peters — Folk Roots) |
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“Were you lucky enough to see Narciso Martínez before he passed away last year? You might have danced to his music at the Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife some years back. There he sat, punching away at that squeeze box, expressionless, only his arms and fingers working furiously, looking for all the world like one of those windup drumming bears: one part moving like crazy, the rest stiff as a board. Way into his 70s, at the time, you had to look at him to know it. Otherwise his fingers still produced the rapid polka flurries that made him famous. Narciso Martínez was the recipient of a National Heritage Fellowship and one of the first to be honored with induction into the Conjunto Hall of Fame. Strachwitz chooses to name Martínez in this conjunto paternity suit for the same reasons he won those other honors: his widely popular recordings made in the 1930s which emphasized the melody and left the bass playing to the bajo sexto player. Those set the standard for dance music.
There are 26 selections here culled from his post-War Ideal recordings rather than those 1930s discs (which are available on other Arhoolie reissues). Narciso should be remembered for fiery playing, rapid beyond human limits it might seem. Some of the most interesting listening are the tunes that show the now rare dance styles: redova, mazurka, shottis, huapango. As the polkas on this CD are at the older-style quick tempo, consider introducing this collection to people who like to dance to Jimmy Sturr or Frankie Yankovich. Lydia Mendoza fans will need this recording for `Medalla de Dios' which captures some of her clearest singing. Every dance band in south Texas must know at least one huapango. Quite often it will be their rendering of `El Lucero,' heard here.” (Mary Armstrong — Sing Out!) |
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