If one wants to follow along, start here.
Don't ask how this all got started. I made this observation when replying to a reader:
Over the last six months, I've noted that one can tell various accordion "dialects." I first noted it when I heard a Scottish accordion player....others:
- German polkas
- Italian
- Greek/Hebrew
- Tex-Mex (German-Spanish)
- Dakota (Welk, Floren - but I assume theirs would be grouped with Germans)
And I'm sure there are a lot more examples.
The reader replied:
A huge subset of what is known as Tex-Mex is actually "Czech-Mex." Until the Czechs arrived with accordions, Tex-Mex would have just had guitars, violins and brass [for a big group]. So, the sound went south from Texas.My favorite polka was known as the Jesse Polka. It wasn't commonly played in ND. You'd most likely hear the Beerbarrel Polka, or the Clarinet Polka. It's a tougher song to play.Imagine my surprise to come to NM and hear it done by the conjunto groups - turns out it was written by a Mexican -And it was Pancho Villa's favorite polka, too!!! - So, that sound obviously spread north
Jesusita en Chihuahua
"Jesusita en Chihuahua" came to be known by some as the "J.C. Polka" for short, and over time this developed int...
It's a challenging piece, so musicians use it as sort of a rite of passage - here's an incredible guitar versionHere's something that looks like a family band. Maybe Mennonite?Well, it turns out Dad's a pharmacist in eastern Washington state. 8 or 10 kids and Mom stays home.If you're ever at a bar/restaurant and the mariachi group strolls around taking requests - ask for this - with a smile. You'll get instant "props" - most gringos ask for something like Cielito Lindo.TFBNL.
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