Santiago Jimenez Jr. to play Luminaria after harrowing night

Santiago Jimenez Jr. comes back onstage at after being overcome by fumes from a nearby generator . Santiago Jimenez Jr. comes back onstage at after being overcome by fumes from a nearby generator . Photo: Hector Saldana Photo: Hector Saldana Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Santiago Jimenez Jr. to play Luminaria after harrowing night 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO – Conjunto legend Santiago Jimenez Jr. will return to the same Luminaria stage on Saturday where he was overcome by fumes from a diesel generator at the art and music event's opening on Friday.

Jimenez, 70, the award-winning keeper of his pioneering father's two-row button accordion style and the younger brother of Flaco Jimenez, performs from 9:30-11 p.m. Saturday at the El Tropicano Stage near the corner of Lexington and St. Mary's Streets.

Admission is free.

Relaxing on the front porch of his Viendo Street home with his wife Mary and new puppy, Charley, and smoking a Marlboro cigarette, Jimenez discussed what happened on Friday when he was stricken – which he said was scarier than initially reported.

He nearly blacked out during "Ay Te Dejo en San Antonio." Jimenez, who was accompanied by bajo sexto musician Adan Bosquez, had smelled the fumes.

"I tried to ignore it," he said.

Jimenez indeed looked dizzy and said "I did faint" near the bottom of the steep steps at the back of the makeshift stage.

He initially sat down on a folding chair but began to black out again. "I wanted to just lie down on the parking lot," Jimenez recounted.

Instead, he was moved to a table under a small tent where he sprawled out to rest.

"I started vomiting. I threw up three times," he said. Then he got the chills in the light drizzle.

Jimenez was helped by two San Antonio Police Department officers and checked by San Antonio Fire Department medics.

"When he came home, I could tell something happened right away," said Mary Jimenez.

The medics advised Jimenez not to return to the stage. He defied their advice.

"I told them, '(Expletive) it, man. I'm going to finish my show,'" Jimenez said. "I felt weak. I just played a few melodies to give (fans) a little bit more."

He was able to laugh about it on Saturday afternoon. Jimenez said he was going to write a song about it – "Carbon Monoxide Polka." "Voy a comprar una mascara de gas (I'm going to buy a gas mask) for tonight," he said.

"It's funny but at the same time, it's serious. It was bad last night."

The incident was not the first time that Jimenez has been overcome by generator fumes. He was stricken a few years ago at Rosedale Park at the annual conjunto festival produced by Juan Tejeda and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.

It was also not the first time that he was a trouper. Jimenez suffered a heat stroke at the Texas Folklife Festival when he played the Arneson River Theatre stage several years ago.

"That was scary, man," said Jimenez. "They dumped a whole lot of ice water on me. And then I came back and played."

Jimenez also performs at Carnitas Urapan, a West Side meat market from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday.

Hsaldana@express-news.net.