Javier Vargas – Blues Latino

Pete meets the renowned Spanish guitar stylist in North London to discuss recent recordings and much more, taking in Carlos Santana and Canned Heat…

JLTT: Welcome to London, Javier.

JV: Hey Pete, we’ve been off doing some images, with John! Thanks for coming up

I know who turned me onto slide guitar – who turned you onto slide guitar?

Initially when playing guitar, I am inspired by Peter Green, Eric Clapton so these are the players I really like. Also the guitarists from The Rolling Stones – Keef, Brian, Mick. As for the slide? Well the first time I am listening closely to that style probably it was Duane Allman. From the album Allman Brothers Live At The Fillmore. That is what turned me on to using the slide. And after Duane Allman – Rory Gallagher.

Hmm, my first was Taste, with Rory Gallagher. I had a girl who was mad about Taste and we saw the group on a Thursday night then again the next night, different venue. Not one number repeated! After that, Johnny Winter

(Enthused) Yes! Johnny Winter, too! So those were the three top guys for playing slide guitar and encouraging me to work on it. But very soon, I developed my own style. Including some more psychedelic stuff. So as not to play in a typical way, to be myself.

On Kim Simmonds’ advice, I use metal for acoustic and glass for electric

I like metallic..also pure brass. I can get more sustain on the guitar..glass gives you a lighter tone.

Who is your favourite slide guitar player, at present?

Living now? The guy from Louisiana

Sonny Landreth

Sonny, yes – and Derek Trucks, too I have played with him. In Poland, many years ago. Derek’s one of the top guys

The best for me is Denny Walley…from Zappa’s band and The Magic Band. I have watched him from two yards yet I can’t figure out what he’s doing! He just shrugs it off as a mix of fingers and slide when you speak with him.

I was living in Nashville in 1975 not far from the colleges. I saw many bands in the clubs every night many coming from Alabama, Georgia, the Southern areas.

Did you see Little Feat?

No but I LOVE the sound of that group, the style..Lowell George was incredible! And the producer also did Van Halen 1. But I saw so many acts live. With chances to play.

Guesting is fun..you don’t get up and blast away, you ease your way in then contribute

That’s what I like to do! I like to play for the band but not overplay, just create the music, let it breathe

The man for that is Earl Slick! Besides Bowie I’ve seen him play with Glen Matlock, with The Dolls and at the right moment he will just take off…let’s talk about your current music

In my current band now I have a guy Luis Mayo and he plays bass plus acoustic guitar, flamenco. My drummer is Peter Kunst from The Netherlands. And the singer is the nephew of Mick Jagger – John Byron Jagger, son of Chris Jagger.

I’ve seen him in the videos, really good – so how did you meet him?

He sang on one of my albums, on Palace Of The King. We get to jam and I see in John all this potential, like a rough diamond.

On Don’t Let The Children Cry he has a tinge of Tosh or Marley…you do sound cool, together…

That’s right he knows about reggae music, about African sounds plus all the older blues-rock people, too..he has all these influences that he can just draw upon when he wishes, it’s great to have that!

Do you think you can help John with stage experience?

My plan now is that in March we release an album we have made together. We have written twenty songs together, to draw from. It’s something great, believe me ! We have one song to finish, for the album.

It must be hard for him if he gets compared to Mick or Chris..the Jagger name – He looks half-Jagger, half-Jovi…

Yeah! A little bit. I see that! A very humble guy, a nice fellow. When you hear the album we have worked upon, we have a lot of blues, a lot of instrumental music.

You have Steve Hunter on Children…now I first heard him in Mitch Ryder’s Detroit..the band was stolen by Lou Reed!

Yeah the Live records, with Dick Wagner! I meet these men in 1975, with Alice Cooper, a long time ago now…I saw Welcome To My Nightmare, they were trading licks..hey another great player from Detroit was Jim McCarty..in Cactus

Ah yes, my friend Pete French was in Cactus for a while ..the ‘Ot & Sweaty album. Tell me about your friendship with Carlos…

Well back around 1991 I made a recording called Blues Latino. A man from San Francisco told me I should send a cassette across to Carlos Santana, as he might dig the song. He gave me an address to use. I thought ‘Why not? What’s to lose?’ and sent it off. I never expected to hear BUT then on the Santana Brothers album he opted to record his version! I mean, from Woodstock and Soul Sacrifice..well I’ll never forget that moment. I saw the album in a shop when I was on tour in Cantina. God gave me a gift here..when we meet it’s like very old friends.

Once you create something, it’s out there and one can be amazed at the immediate or eventual response. I reviewed an album called Circus Money and out of the blue I had an email from its creator – Walter Becker of Steely Dan…

Yes!!! When you write a piece or a song, you never know what might happen, who it might affect, somewhere in the world..with Blues Latino, the melody came to me in a dream and I thought I had better record it ! That moment ended up bringing me all that I really want…

I see it as doors opening..do you go through? OR do you wonder forever what might have been the result?

In my case I am a lucky man as I get to meet people and do things..constantly. I met John Sebastian. Alvin Lee, too – he was a friend of mine. I have been lucky enough to see Harvey Mandel – I got to tour with Canned Heat after he left them. Wonderful people, I had jammed with them and they called me up…

Harvey started tapping…

Yes! That’s right , Van Halen then started doing it…when I saw Whitesnake in London Bernie Marsden was using it here and there…

I look forward to seeing you play this year

(Smiles) I think I know what we might do, on that…

Pete Sargeant