Flaco Jiménez

b. Leonardo Jiménez, 11 March 1939, San Antonio, Texas, USA. Jiménez’s grandfather, Patricio, learned the accordion from German neighbours and played in towns in southern Texas at the turn of the century. Jiménez’s father, Don Santiago Jiménez Snr., was a noted accordionist and played lively dance music around San Antonio. His best-known composition was the polka ‘Viva Seguin’, named after a small town near San Antonio. Santiago, who started recording in 1936 and cut some music for RCA Records, played the two-button accordion and made no attempt to integrate his music with other American forms. Jiménez, nicknamed El Flaco ‘the skinny one’, played bajo sexto with his father and made his recording debut in 1955 on ‘Los Tecolotes’. He recorded with a group, Los Caminantes, and often had regional successes by considering contemporary lifestyle such as ‘El Pantalon Blue Jean’ and ‘El Bingo’. His albums for Arhoolie Records attracted a following outside Texas, and his appearance alongside Bob Dylan, on Doug Sahm And Band in 1973, brought him to the attention of rock fans. Ry Cooder began touring and recording with him, and Jiménez can be heard on Cooder’s Chicken Skin Music, Show Time, The Border and Get Rhythm. Their key collaborations are the free-flowing ‘He’ll Have To Go’ and the sombre ‘The Dark End Of The Street’. Tex-Mex Breakdown showed that Jiménez was thinking in terms of a wider audience. He also worked with Peter Rowan and the Free Mexican Airforce. Jiménez tours in his own right and is popular at arts centres and folk venues throughout the UK. His father died in 1984. His younger brother, Santiago Jnr., is also a professional accordionist with several albums to his name.