The Guitar Player's Resource
Fans of guitar heavy blues - look no further. Guitarist Javier Vargas and his band have released a super high energy live CD/DVD set entitled Last Night. The ninth recording for the Spanish-born musician, you'll hear Vargas lathering his original compositions with heavy lead work, aggressive riffs, frenetic blues-box speed lines, and solos that cook up hotter than chef Bobby Flay's grilled kabobs. This band is almost completely unknown in North America, which, after listening to a couple of cuts off Last Night will be very hard to believe. Vocal work on the CD is provided by Bobby Alexander, and satisfies in the same way a good SRV performance does - gritty and emotionally charged. The CD offers 12 scorching live numbers, while the DVD features a different set of 13 live performances, both recorded at Buddy Guy's Legends. Think of Last Night as an introduction to, and a pathway into, the deep catalog of Vargas material - loads o' blues-based entertainment.
Javier was born in Madrid, Spain and later moved to Argentina, where he began taking guitar lessons. Inspired by rock groups such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, as well as bluesmen such as Freddie King and Albert Collins, he dedicated himself to becoming a professional guitarist. Javier moved to the United States and played clubs and sessions in Nashville and Los Angeles. He returned to Spain, and in 1991, the Vargas Blues Band was formed - "All Around Blues" was the first album released by the group. Several more albums were to follow, and Vargas' song "Blues Latino" was even included on the Santana Brothers album in 1993. Throughout the '90s, the Vargas Blues Band continued to record, and in 1999, the group's first live appearance in the US was at Buddy Guy's Legends.
The huge diversity of their musical influences (rock, soul, flamenco, Latin, etc.) and the power of their tunes fulfill all the requirements to charm all kinds of audiences.
Doug Deutsch Publicity Services
United States
Web site: www.vargasblues.com