Fronted by vocalist/ accordionist
Paulino Bernal
,
Conjunto Bernal
was a conjunto that specialized in regional
Tex-Mex
music.
Bernal
was joined by his brother, bajo sexto/vocalist
Eloy Bernal
, and bassist/drummer
Ruben Perez
on
Mi Unico Camino
, a series of songs and instrumentals recorded between 1954 and 1960, and reissued by
Arhoolie
. As
's
Chris Stachwitz
wrote in an earlier set of liner notes, conjuntos were groups "usually featuring two harmonizing voices, an accordion, a bajo sexto and a string bass, [that] were making the music that Spanish-speaking factory hands, truck drivers, and other blue collar workers wanted to hear." (The bajo sexto is a 12-string guitar with a non-standard tuning.) The songs and instrumentals that grace
are frequently filled with a bouncy,
2-step
rhythm, perfect for dancing or just to place the listener in an upbeat mood. The
brothers' vocals blend easily, adding a melodic quality to the persistent rhythms, while the simplicity of the lively arrangements remains fresh throughout the 15 tracks.
is a fine introduction to
, as well as a solid entry into a popular regional style, enriched by a knowledgeable set of liner notes by
Manuel Pena
and
Stachwitz
. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.