When accordion legend Santiago “Flaco” Jimenez died in 1984, he left behind one son who took his nickname and another who bore his given name. Both carried on his conjunto accordion tradition. Flaco Jimenez has gone on to win several Grammys and collaborate with artists from across the musical spectrum, while Santiago Jr. has stayed closer to his roots with more traditional arrangements and a simpler sound. Saturday night, Santiago shared this classic Norteno sound with a sold-out house at the Old Town School of Folk Music, which, for a few hours, felt like somebody’s back porch on a warm starry night in a border town. Jimenez took the stage with a stand-up bassist and bajo sexto player. The lineup was rounded out with his double-row button accordions that cried, sighed, roared and giggled at his command. From the boxes he squeezed a delightful series of swaying waltzes, bouncy polkas, sultry boleros and rousing rancheros that drew couples to the dance floor and kids to the stage. Songs were punctuated with stories of his father and brother. Although many numbers were instrumentals, Jimenez sang several tunes including “Volver,” “Marina, Marina” and the touching ode to his father “Homenaje a Don Santiago.” Despite his enthusiastic delivery, his best singing is probably done on the accordion. Still, his unpolished vocals and modest demeanor added an extra dose of charm to an evening of simple pleasures.
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