The first album in Arhoolie's superb Tex-Mex series, this traces the roots of the modern norteño-Tejano-conjunto sound. We hear the early accordion players and duet singers, then see them come together in the 1930s and '40s, forming the heart of the style as it has existed ever since. All the key names are here, from the blind fiddler El Ciego Melquiades to the magnificent Texan diva Lydia Mendoza, accordion pioneers Santiago Jiménez and Narciso Martinez, and the trend-setting Alegres de Teran. A 36-page booklet puts the music in context and makes this an essential purchase for anyone interested in border music.