Combine a hefty helping of Tex Mex conjunto, simmer with several
parts Texas rock, add a daring dash of well-cured blues and R&B
riffs, and you've cooked up the tasty TexManiacs groove. Not
to say that this group's sound is for musical gourmets only...no
way or, better yet, eso no! These guys - Max Baca on bajo sexto.
Speedy Villanueva on bass and David Farias on accordion - feed
the masses, but with only the best in musical fare.
Founded by Max Baca, the TexManiacs are a product of his wide-ranging
experience working and recording with everyone from his father's
family conjunto to Doug Sahm's Texas Tornados to the Rolling
Stones. Despite his youth, Max is a legend on the bajo sexto,
a twelve string guitar-like instrument, which customarily provides
rhythm accompaniment for the button accordion, thus creating
the core of the conjunto sound.
On the bajo. Max does all that and way, way more, using the
instrument to push the TexManiacs sound to another level of vibrancy
altogether. His many sojourns as a sideman has resulted in an
impressive international touring schedule, many national television
appearances and plenty of awards, including participation in
three albums receiving Grammys.
Israel Villanueva (aka Speedy Vee) was born in Snyder,Texas,
a small town in West Texas, where he cut his teeth.playing bass
guitar with his dad's conjunto band. After a move to Houston,
he became a founding member of the legendary Tejano band. La
Mafia. A veteran of the conjunto and Tejano scene. Speedy is
nonetheless a lifelong fan and purveyor of bass-heavy classic
rock and brings that big booming sound to the TexManiacs.
At the age of eight David Farias began playing in a band with
his brothers. By the time he was thirteen years old, he was fronting
the band as accordion player and lead singer. Over the course
of 34 years, the group morphed from Los Hermanos Farias to La
Tropa F, signaling the change from a downhome family band to
a high-fueled and highly popular (though still family-based)
Tejano act. Over the years. La Tropa F recorded with Wea-Latina,
Emi-Latin, Fonovisa, Hacienda Records and Freddy-Records. For
the last fifteen years the group has been a favorite of award
shows and programs and most recently David was nominated for
a Latin Grammy in 2004 and 2005.
Like a great salsa, this threesome mixes the simplest yet finest
ingredients of Texas music to create a sound solidly rooted in
tradition but exploding with contemporary vitality. Their first
CD, A Tex Mex Groove, contains a wide sampling but a unity of
musical focus that is characteristic of the group. It also hosts
a legendary line-up of guest artists, such as Flaco Jimenez,
Augie Meyers, Ruben Ramos and members of Los Lobos, who share
the TexaManiac take. So don't just stay for supper, stick around
for dessert.
