Music
Press
Read Jack Wargo's interview in the upcoming Blues Matters Issue 38 magazine regarding Guitar Jack's music in the movie, "L.A. Blues". Quote from Ian Gurvitz regarding the soundtrack. "The blues soundtrack is true to the nature of the music itself, and to the movie, as it’s about heartache and longing, loving and losing, striving and failing, and all the hell in between. And just like the blues, the movie is about joy and sadness, humor and sorrow, and ultimately about hope and killing your demons and, as one of the characters says in the end: “having a few friends around to watch your back as you do it.” - Blues Matters Magazine
Review from Wilson & Elroy’s Record Review
(http://www.warr.org)
Thanks For Bringing Love Around Again (2002)
Produced (with Charles) and mostly written by Billy Osborne (a former member of LTD and I think Jeffrey Osborne's brother), and he resorts to the same off-the-rack synths and drum programs that made Would You Believe such a waste of time. The whole affair is so perfunctory and forgettable that when a live instrument comes in (Jack Wargo's blues guitar solo on "I Just Can't Get Enough Of You") it sounds like it came from another dimension. The low point is a remake of "What'd I Say" (the sole track produced by Jerry Hey) which obliterates the spontaneity of the original so completely you'd think that was the intention. Osborne does come up with one good song, the plaintive elegy "Mother," and fortunately he sticks it at the end of the record as a reward for persevering through everything else. (DBW)
- Wilson & Elroy’s Record Review
Check out Issue 40 of Blues Matters Magazine, UK. - Blues Matters Magazine,
Discography
Private Tears Guitar Jack Wargod Records
Losin’ Hand Guitar Jack Wargod Records
Live at B.B. Kings Guitar Jack Wargod Records
Thanks for Bringing Love Ray Charles Vanguard
Music From my Heart Billy Preston MCG Records
Victory The Jacksons Sony Records
The Best Remixes The Jacksons Import (Generic)
Legend of Elliott Chavers Elliott Chavers Storyville
Twist with Me Annie Hank Ballard & Midnighters Ichiban Records
Naked in the Rain Hank Ballard & Midnighters Wild Orchid Soundtrack
Photos
Bio
There’s something about the way that he makes the guitar sing. Maybe it’s the delicately chosen chords that interweave between weighty drum kicks and rumbling bass lines. Or maybe it’s the unabashed sound of guitar licks that solo without the threat of pressure. Either side, Guitar Jack emits raw emotion with every riff. He floats between adding vocals on top of orchestrated instrumentals to letting his guitar soley stretch the musical dimensions. The view from there? Infinite.
Guitar Jack expresses the kind of curiosity and restless creativity that keep him pushing at the boundaries of blues music. “I can really convey my emotions through my songs,” he muses about his 30 years within the music industry. “I can’t write or paint what I see or have been through, but I can play accurately what I feel, and that’s why I’m still in love with it. That’s what keeps me playing everyday.”
With a resume that lends his guitar to a range of legendary artists from Solomon Burke to Billy Preston, The Jacksons to John Fogarty, Guitar Jack has proven that he has a voice to be reckoned with. Blending both electric and acoustic guitar, the musician transcends both musical genres and constructed boundaries with every solo. Ranging from bluesy soundscapes to up-tempo ballads, the artist glides effortlessly between emotional states while making his mark.
The Scranton, Pennsylvania native packed his bags in 1977 and moved to become a part of the Los Angeles music scene. Becoming a permanent fixture in studio sessions and local jam sessions, Guitar Jack began to expand his horizons and developed his own stylistic approach to Blues. “I like modern blues, and I think there is room for it to grow,” he quips about the current state of music. “Although I appreciate groups and artists that stick to “Muddy Waters” blues and traditional blues styles, the genre has to evolve and go somewhere. I think my music is pretty contemporary.”
Forming his own band, Guitar Jack & No Slack, the maestro began to expand his realm of music and began writing his own material. “I prefer writing for myself because I don’t have to fit the music into a certain mold,” he reminisces of his musical growth and foray into the singing arena. “I started singing when I wanted to fully shape the direction of a song. I have more control over how I want to express myself.”
His latest album Private Tears makes it clear that his musical offering stands out from the competition. The up-tempo “South Cali Special” blends his wah-wah tinged guitar with jook joint undertones, planting his stamp in the realm of contemporary blues music. Guitar Jack shows off his singing and writing ability in “Angel of Mercy,” a moody confession of strength and triumph anchored by riffing guitar solos and blaring horns.
It is on the title track “Private Tears” that the artist demostrates his vast depth and wide grasp over his musical craft. The slow mesmerizing track rolls with calculated bass and whirling guitar lines while the musician rides on top of the bluesy groove. “I think everyone can relate to this song,” Guitar Jack expresses about his latest composition. “We’ve all been through hard times and have shed private tears. You just got to keep getting up after you fall down.”
And with his latest album, a live show packed with explosive energy, and the respect from his musical peers, Guitar Jack is set on continuing his musical mission. “I just love creating,” he asserts without hesitation. “It is what keeps me going and what keeps me grounded. There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing.”
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