The Smithsonian’s Annual Folklife Festival starts this week, and accordions are featured in at least two concerts: the Basque wonder Kepa Junkera performed on June 29 and legendary conjunto artist Flaco Jimenez is part of the lineup on Sunday, July 3, at 6:30 PM.

In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the 2016 Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert features extraordinary musicians from across the country who have received the NEA National Heritage Fellowship, the nation’s highest award for excellence in the folk and traditional arts.

From the Smithsonian website: “These artists are not only masters of their tradition; as teachers, innovators, and advocates, they have made significant contributions to the living cultural heritage of their communities. Together they represent a remarkable portrait of the diversity of cultures and artistic traditions that enrich our nation.

Flaco Jimenez, legendary conjunto musician, one of the featured performers, will play on Sunday, July 3, 2016 at 6:30 PM with Los Texmaniacs.

Born into a family of musicians, five-time GRAMMY-winning accordionist Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez has led the way in expanding Texas-Mexican conjunto music from his community in San Antonio, Texas, to new audiences in the United States and worldwide.

Conjunto is a uniquely Texan tradition, with influences from German, Polish, and Czech immigrants who settled in the predominantly Mexican region of the Texas Rio Grande Valley. Over the years, Jiménez has expanded conjunto to include influences from country, rock, and jazz music.

Los Texmaniacs will join their mentor and friend on stage with their own spirited style of conjunto. The group is led by Max Baca on bajo sexto, with Josh Baca on button accordion, Noel Hernandez on bass and vocals, and Lorenzo Martínez on drums. Jiménez and Baca are featured on the Smithsonian Folkways album Flaco & Max: Legends & Legacies.”

“The artists we honor as part of our NEA National Heritage Fellowship awards are testament to the diversity, ingenuity, and creativity that characterize this nation. We are so grateful for the gifts they have brought to all our lives.” said Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts.

The July 3, 2016 concert offers a preview of the 2017 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. For the 50th anniversary, a full program on the NEA National Heritage Fellows will be featured. It is presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts

The performance takes place on the Ralph Rinzler Concert Stage. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is held outdoors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during the last week of June and first week of July. In 2016, the Festival will take place between Fourth and Seventh streets, north of the National Air and Space Museum, from June 29 to July 4 and July 7 to 10. The Festival is free of charge.

For further information: folklife@si.edu

Photo of Flaco Jimenez by Tom Pich
Photo of Los Texmaniacs by Michael G. Stewart, courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings