VARGAS BLUES BAND

Master of guitarists Javier Vargas has presented his latest album, “Love, Union, Peace” to his Madrid fans in a concert that lasted about two and a half hours, during which, as has become commonplace in the extensive career of this virtuoso instrumentalist, the vintage language of the Blues was examined in depth. Accompanied by a band with whom he could go to the ends of the earth with no fear of them missing a note, Vargas performed a repertoire from which, as usual, he has extracted Pop elements in order to lend more relevance to the expressive orthodoxy of a genre in which the songs themselves never seem to be the most important factor. When the band attacked songs such as the legendary “Spoonful” by Cream, which showed off the talent of the Spanish vocalist, and the no less well-known “Roadhouse Blues” by the Doors, which was the last item in the concert before the encores, the result was much more interesting.
It is also worth noting the presence of vocalist Devon Allman, son of keyboard player and vocalist Greg Allman, who appears to have inherited the Soul feeling and depth of his father’s voice. Incidentally, Devon is the boy who appears on the cover of “Brothers & Sisters” by the Allman Brothers Band, which could make him one of the most looked-at boys in the history of rock, along with the boy who appears on the covers of U2’s first albums. To get back to the concert, Vargas’ audience got enormous enjoyment from the performance, devoted as they are to his personal style of getting fire from the guitar.
- EL PAIS, Fernando Martin, 2005

Spain's Javier Vargas is more proof that the Blues thrives around the world. Since he formed his first band in 1991, Javier has played and recorded with Blues legends like Carey Bell, Louisiana Red, Junior Wells, Double Trouble, Lonnie Brooks, Larry McCray, and Sugar Blue. He has traveled to Memphis' Ardent Studios and worked with Jim Gaines, to Chicago to record a live record culled from two nights at Buddy Guy's Legends Club, and to Austin to work with Double Trouble. His close musical friendship with Carlos Santana has put deep Spanish rhythms into Vargas' Blues guitar. And like Santana, Javier is a guitarist who leaves the vocals to various singers while he focuses on his guitar sound.
The first song on Love, Union, Peace, "Tiny Paradise," features the recognizable percussion and rhythms of Santana. Yet Vargas makes sure his music is no Santana cover band; nor is this a record of traditional 1-4-5 Blues. With Blues always at the foundation of Vargas' supercharged guitar, each song delivers an intimate message from Vargas' soul. When you're finished listening you'll feel that this is a record infused with hope and joy. Because Vargas uses eight different vocalists there is a different coloring to each song. "Sunny Day" spotlights vocalist Freddie Kirksey's smokey delivery and Vargas' eloquent string effects. Guests here include Cream bassist Jack Bruce singing on "Pretty Blue," which features Vargas playing slide guitar morphing into a wah-wah attack. The other major guest singing on three tracks is Devon Allman, son of Gregg Allman. His singing on my favorite track on the disc, "Dance Away The Blues," shows off a convincing voice. Combined with Vargas' hard-core slide guitar this joyous song can wear out your repeat button. Devon and Javier also proclaim the power of music in "How Verso Are You," a rhythmic Latin tribute to freeing one's self through music.

Three tunes mid-disc celebrate Vargas' Latin roots. He recently told me he'd like to combine traditional Spanish Flamenco guitar with his love of Blues. "Agua Clara" features a beautiful four-minute guitar duet between Vargas and Flamenco guitarist Juan Gomez Chicuelo. It's not hard to picture yourself in a rural Spanish village serenaded by two dear friends. "Celos," the only song recorded in Vargas' native Spanish, features Latin percussions and Vargas' economical guitar. On the instrumental "God Give Me Strength," Vargas, like Ronnie Earl, turns his inner spirituality into sacred notes of joyful release. Vargas continues with more joyful exultation on his ballad to the strength of all mothers on "Mother's Day." Devon Allman returns to sing the closing song; a Blues rocker, "Magic Of The Gods."

Like I previously said, this isn't a 1-4-5 Blues record, it is a CD that contains a variety of Blues-based songs that should strike a contemporary chord in your soul.

Art Tipaldi is a senior contributing editor at BluesWax
- BLUES WAX MAGAZINE, Art Tipaldi, 2006

Spanish guitar sensation Javier Vargas has returned to Memphis’ renowned Ardent Studios for his new album “Flamenco Blues Experience.” Jason Latshaw is mixing the new album, with Jason Gillespie assisting. Devon Allman, who contributed vocals to Vargas’ 2005 album, “Love, Union, Peace,” returned to Memphis to record vocals for the new release.

In previous albums, Vargas has teamed up with artists such as Jack Bruce, Glenn Hughes, and Elliot Murphy. For years, the Vargas Blues Band has been entertaining audiences throughout Europe at such major venues as Switzerland’s Montreaux Jazz Festival, Germany’s Pop Korn Festival, The Great British R&B Festival, and the Antwerp R& B Festival, as well as extensive touring elsewhere throughout Europe and Latin America.

Carlos Santana, who has performed with Vargas in Spain and France, remarked on the Spaniard’s unique talent to blend Rock, Soul, Flamenco and Latin influences: “Vargas is like a rainbow, he contains all the colors, he feels the same passion as I do when it comes to embracing the music of the world.”

To learn more about Javier Vargas, visit: http://www.myspace.com/vargasbluesband - MixOnline 2007