A Mi San Antonio is the debut album by the American musician Eva Ybarra, released in 1994.[2][3] She is credited with her band, Su Conjunto.[4] While incorporating many musical styles, the album is primarily in the Tejano conjunto idiom.[5][6]
| A Mi San Antonio | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Genre | Tejano | |||
| Label | Rounder[1] | |||
| Producer | Cathy Ragland | |||
| Eva Ybarra chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album, containing rancheras, huapangos, and polkas, was produced by Cathy Ragland, an ethnomusicologist.[7][8][9] Ragland also provided the liner notes, which included English translations of the songs.[10] Five of the songs were written by Ybarra; the other seven by Guadalupe Betancourt, Lily Ybarra Gonzales, and Gloria Garcia.[11][7] The title track and "El Gallito Madrugador" are instrumentals.[12]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| Chicago Tribune | [11] |
| Robert Christgau |  [14] |
| MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide | [8] |
The Austin American-Statesman wrote that "Ybarra interprets a number of Mexican cumbias, rancheras and polka, all supplemented by her accordion's many emotional shadings."[12] The Chicago Tribune noted that the songs are "mostly jaunty, polka-like numbers that encourage dancing and carousing, good-time music even when the lyrics sometimes reflect a less than perfect existence."[11] Texas Monthly deemed the album "a superb if largely conventional conjunto set."[15]
AllMusic wrote: "The lyrical content is essentially based in old styles of Mexican poetry, which works well for the format. Instrumentally, the real innovations are in small changes in chord progressions and tempos from where one would generally expect the musician to travel."[13]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cariño Bueno" | |
| 2. | "Lloro por Tí" | |
| 3. | "El Gallito Madrugador" | |
| 4. | "Triste Adio" | |
| 5. | "Un Corazoncito" | |
| 6. | "A Mi San Antonio" | |
| 7. | "Negra Africans" | |
| 8. | "Nos Digamos Adios" | |
| 9. | "Preferible Morir" | |
| 10. | "Serenata a Media" | |
| 11. | "En Esta Cantina" | |
| 12. | "A Bailar con Eva" |
References
edit- ^ Vargas, Deborah R. (2012). "Resounding Chicana Music: Listening to Eva Garza". Women & Music – A Journal of Gender and Culture. 16: 113–132.
- ^ "Eva, Diva". Texas Monthly. July 1, 1996.
- ^ Ruiz, Vicki L.; Korrol, Virginia Sánchez (May 3, 2006). Latinas in the United States, set: A Historical Encyclopedia. Indiana University Press.
- ^ Gehr, Richard (Jun 1994). "Wonderful World". Spin. Vol. 10, no. 3. p. 92.
- ^ "Record Reviews". The Austin Chronicle.
- ^ Martinez, Eduardo (March 10, 2017). "Regional Ramblings: Accordionist Eva Ybarra to return to RGV". Entertainment. McAllen.
- ^ a b Campbell, Elizabeth (April 8, 1994). "Accordion queen to perform at Imagination Celebration". La Estrella. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 8.
- ^ a b MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 824.
- ^ Medrano, Manuel (2018). "Eva Ybarra: Siempre la Reina". New Studies in Rio Grande Valley History: 249.
- ^ Sercombe, Laurel (Winter 1999). "Current Discography". Ethnomusicology. 43 (1): 156.
- ^ a b c Obejas, Achy (20 July 1995). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 8.
- ^ a b Burr, Ramiro (24 Mar 1994). "CDs show Tejano's timelessness". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 14.
- ^ a b "A Mi San Antonio". AllMusic.
- ^ "Eva Ybarra". Robert Christgau.
- ^ Rosenbohm, Johanna (Jul 1996). "Meet San Antonio accordionist Eva Ybarra, conjunto's main squeeze". Texas Monthly. Vol. 24, no. 7. p. 21.