Los Texmaniacs is a conjunto band created by Max Baca that incorporates elements from genres such as Rock & Roll and Jazz while still honoring the roots of conjunto Tejano.
Max became one of the keepers of that unique Sir Douglas Quintet San Antonio sound. That sound is one of San Antonio’s great cultural contributions and most recognizable exports.
Acknowledged as a world-class virtuoso of the bajo sexto, the Latin equivalent of the 12-string acoustic guitar, when you put the bajo and the accordion with the rock and roll beat you get the San Antonio sound. It’s strictly Texas music coming from San Antonio. Baca’s band, Los Texmaniacs, is one of only a handful of bands carrying on that sound.
The ’Maniacs’ set includes a sprinkling of conjunto, a couple of Quintet covers, popular originals like “Down In the Barrio” from their self-titled 2015 album Americano Groove, and some cool vato radio hits like “Low Rider” or “Cisco Kid.”
“I grew up in Albuquerque,” Baca laughs, “so I grew up on conjunto and Creedence Clearwater Revival, you know. So, I liked rock and roll, I liked blues, I liked the Tex-Mex sounds. I think in the ’Maniacs, we have a real authenticity even with the English-language stuff. Authenticity is constantly on our minds. I think we’ve learned that stuff that’s true and honest has the best chance to last.”
In 2010 Los Texmaniacs won a Grammy Award for Tejano Album of The Year “Borders y Bailes”.
Our audience is really the Americana crowd and true music fans. We do programs like Prairie Home Companionor on NPR, and that tends to attract the Americana crowd rather than the conjunto purists.