For his major label debut (after some 60 albums and countless singles on a variety of small labels), Jimenez is ”partnered” with a cast of better known rock and country artists. His first twirl around the dance floor here turns out to be a lead-footed waltz with Stephen Stills on the CSNer`s own
”Change Partners” and for a few moments it looks as if one`s worst fears about how major labels handle ”cult” artists will be realized. Fortunately, the scare is brief and ”Partners” soon settles into something more substantial and satisfying. Jimenez remains the king of ”conjunto,” the lively, accordion-based dance music of the Texas-Mexico border region. Rock fans heard a pop version of it in `60s songs like ”She`s About a Mover” and ”Mendocino” from the Sir Douglas Quintet (led by Doug Sahm, who now shares a spot with Jimenez in the Texas Tornados). Jimenez`s partners on this new album (including Ry Cooder, Dwight Yoakam, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Los Lobos and, on four tracks, the regular conjunto band Jimenez uses when not playing with the Tornados) seem to know and respect the music and chose songs and a style of presentation that remain true. ”Partners”
ranges from conjunto classics like ”Eres Un Encanto” (written by Jimenez`s father) to modern border rock and country tunes like Warren Zevon`s
”Carmelita,” Butch Hancock`s ”West Texas Waltz” and T Bone Burnett/Los Lobos` ”Don`t Worry Baby.”
Ratings:
Excellent (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)(STAR)
Good (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)
Fair (STAR)(STAR)
Poor (STAR)
