Video: Los TexManiacs in Luckenbach, Texas. Joined later by Los Lobos

Mark your calendars and get ready to tap your toes. On Friday, Nov. 3, 2017 Grammy Award winners Max Baca & Los Texmaniacs will make their Newburyport debut at the Belleville Roots Music Series, 300 High St., Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950.

Exerpts from Wikipedia: Los Texmaniacs is a conjunto band created by Max Baca in 1997. Baca wanted to create a band that incorporated elements from genres such as Rock & Roll and Jazz while still honoring the roots of conjunto Tejano. In 2010 Los Texmaniacs won a Grammy Award for Tejano Album of The Year “Borders y Bailes”.

Members of Los Texmaniacs have changed over the years but current members include Max Baca on bajo sexto, Josh Baca on accordion, Noel Hernandez on electric bass, and Lorenzo Martínez on the drums. Los Texmaniacs have collaborated with various artists from different genres including Rick Trevino (country music), Flaco Jimenez (Tejano), Los Lobos (Latin) and even Hip Hop recording artist/songwriter King Montana. King Montana aka Aztek Astronaut is first cousins with Max Baca.

Max Baca was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His grandfather was an amateur accordion player, and his father, Max Baca, Sr., played accordion in his own band. Narciso Martínezwas one of his father’s idols, and Baca treasured his recordings. At age five, Max started learning accordion. The first two songs Baca learned were the polka, “Monterrey,” and the swing classic, “In the Mood.” This combination of musical genres with the conjunto music he inherited from his father portended the future direction of Baca’s musical career.

When he was twelve, Baca and his brother Jimmy formed their own group from Albuquerque New Mexico- Los Hermanos Baca- The Band had hit after hit in the Land of Enchatment to include- “Hey Baby Que Paso” an original hit of The Texas Tornados. The Members: Jimmy Baca Accordion & Vocals, Max Baca Bajo Sexto & Vocals, Lee Ray Romero, Jr. Bass Guitar and Carl Lee Lucero Drums. Max had been playing in Albuquerque with Los Hermanos Baca when one of his major idols, Flaco Jiménez, invited him to come to San Antonio and play bajo sexto in his band. Flaco taught Baca the old techniques and encouraged him to play all twelve strings, in contrast to many other players, who ignored the lower strings, relegating the bass line entirely to the electric bass.

Max continued to play with Flaco, but wanted to keep the creative flame of the Texas Tornados alive in his own work when he decided to create Los Texmaniacs.

Grammy Award winners, Los Texmaniacs, are considered by many to be the new kings of Tex-Mex . Annointed by Flaco Jimenez , Los Texmaniacs feed the masses, with only the best in musical fare. Founded by Max Baca (bajo sexto, vocals), the TexManiacs are a product of his wide-ranging experience touring and recording with Flaco Jimenenz, the original Texas Tornados, Los Super Seven and even the Rolling Stones. Max has participated on eleven Grammy winning projects. Max is the premiere first call bajo sexto player in the world.

“The audience can expect to hear a hot band featuring the accordion, bajo sexton, bass and percussion, much of which is very danceable,” said Ken Irwin, co-founder of Rounder Records and one of nine members of the Belleville Roots Music Series committee, “as well as emotional ballads that will give them a feel for music of the American southwest and Mexico. It’s mostly upbeat music, which will have their toes tapping.”

“It’s really similar to Cajun music and to polka music,” Baca said. “Tex-Mex sits right there in between them. The bajo sexto is what makes the Tex-Mex sound.”

Baca is considered the premiere first call bajo sexto player in the world. Bajo sexto (Spanish for sixth bass) is a Mexican string instrument with 12 strings in six double courses. He has appeared on 11 Grammy-winning projects with artists as diverse as The Rolling Stones, Ricky Skaggs, Los Super Seven, Lila Downs, and Texas Tornados.

Conjunto is roots music, similar to blues or country, and began on the farms and ranches of southern Texas at the end of the 19th century. As they worked the land together, Mexican, Czech and German immigrants shared their musical traditions, blending accordions and polkas with classic Mexican folk music.This fusion yielded an irresistible, danceable beat with infectious melodies set to lyrics expressing themes of love and loss. Since the end of the 60s and into the early 70s, the music has evolved, adopting the label “Tejano,” and borrowing sounds from rock, R&B, country and other genres.

“We have been booking roots music for seven years now, with the mission of presenting a diverse range of music to our audiences and helping create community through music,” said Sheila Taintor, one of nine members of the Belleville Roots Music Series committee. “This is our second concert of music with Spanish-speaking roots from Texas, and as a Hispanophile, I am thrilled.

“Tejano, or Tex-Mex music, originated among the Mexican-Americans of central and southern Texas, and has German influences as well. I’m looking forward to seeing – and hearing – the special instruments: the guitarrón, the bajo sexto and the button accordion.”

For further information: texmaniacs@gmail.com