Album Review: Texas Tornados - Esta Bueno (Proper)

With the passing of both Freddy Fender and Doug Sahm, it was almost taken as a given that the Texas Tornados would never see the light of day again and their extraordinary Tejano brand of Tex-Mex would be assigned to the annals of history. As history has shown though, the music world keeps on grooming enthusiastic and talented offspring to slip into dad's shoes. Shawn Sahm has teamed up with his dad's former comrades Augie Meyers and Flaco Jiménez and has produced the first recording from the band in over a decade. 

ESTA BUENO! (translated as 'It's Good') features five previously unreleased vocal performances from the legendary Freddy Fender together with a sterling performance from the master of the conjunto accordion, Flaco Jiménez. Other musicians tempted back include the original band members Louie Ortega on guitar, Speedy Sparks on bass and Ernie Durawa on drums.

From the opening bars of Who's to Blame, Señorita? through to the soulful Girl Going Nowhere, featuring the late Doug Sahm, the album is a veritable feast of good time dance tunes and late night crooners each conjuring the mood of the music of the Texan and Mexican border towns.

Infectious dance tunes such as They Don't Make 'Em Like I Like and Velma from Selma sit well aside the ballads Tennessee Blues and If I Could Only, each recreating the sound that made the band so popular the first time around. In Heaven There is no Beer, sung in both English and Mexican, demonstrates the Tornados zest for fun and to a beat that makes it practically impossible to remain seated throughout. The fun side is echoed in the title song, which indicates in no uncertain terms the resulting issues of consuming jalapenos in familiar Tornados style.

Because this collection was made up with remnants from the last pieces of the Tex-Mex jig-saw puzzle, with contributions from those musicians no longer with us, it would be a shame not to see the new Texas Tornados continue, at least for a little while longer.

Allan Wilkinson

Northern Sky