Even though the polka originated in the Czech Republic, I'd be willing to bet that most people think the first polkas came from Germany, and over the years, some countries like Mexico think of it as their own in such styles as música norteña or conjunto.
Since Mexico shares a border with a little state called Texas, there is even further crossovers in music by people like Doug Sahm and The Texas Tornadoes where the fabuloso Flaco Jiménez had the accordian duties.
Sadly, Flaco just passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 86.
Another purveyor of the Tex Mex sound is a band called Brave Combo, and if you throw in the kitchen sink like a Jimi Hendrix cover, then you get music like this.
And this is the kind of stuff that endeared Brave Combo to the punk and new wave crowds in the early '80s, and ensured that polka would live to fight another day!
ReplyDelete