Tex-Mex mandolin music

[mad dawg]

Between the recent discussion thread about movie soundtracks (esp. All the Pretty Horses) and my listening to a Calexico this week (Tex-Mex based alt-rock that doesn't, but should have mandolin), I was wondering if anyone out that can recommend any artists that routinely use mandolin in their Tex-Mex or Tex-Mex-inspired music.

[mad dawg]

No nibbles in a week, so I thought I give it one more chance and add a post to float it to the top of the queue. I also want to broaden my query to include Mexican or Southwest inspired mandolin music in general; any takers?

[mandocrucian]

Get some Flaco Jimenez cds and learn the accordion parts. You'll get the real Tex-Mex conjunto phrasing and licks. There's a Flaco Homespun video, and there's five tune notated in the booklet.

When there is no mando in the genre, the (my) rule is to examine what the top-of-the food-chain instrument in that type music is doing and imitate that. In Tex-Mex, it's accordion. In Cajun it's fiddle and/or accordion. Rock....electric guitar.

NH

[Dolamon]

If you can find a copy of it ... Texican Badman by Peter Rowan has David Grisman, Jerry Garcia and Flaco Jimenez getting crazy. This was recorded in 1972, released in 1979 and there is a semi legitimate version out on CD. Interesting if erratic collection of tunes. This is not listed as one of Peter's outings - I think there may be more than one contract dispute regarding the personell.

[elpasomando]

There's a band out of Tucson, AZ called "The Mollys". Some of their older cds have a mando player named Catherine Zavala. The cds are a mix of Tex-Mex & Celtic, but she plays some good mando music. "This is my Round" is one cd she's on. Too bad she's no longer in the band. Moved on to other stuff. The Mollys are on the web.

Ray