Vargas Blues Band - Last Night (2002) [CD & DVD, DRO East West, 0927463002]

Javier Vargas from Spain has long been one of the blues/rock world's best kept secrets. He has produced 8 very fine recordings, with a ninth being a greatest hits collection, but has never seemed quite able to gain the attention of a lot of North American fans. That was, until now.

Better watch out North America, for Javier Vargas is about to take you by storm. His latest release, a live set recorded at Buddy Guy's Legends, is without question among the very finest offerings of live Chicago style guitar blues that I have ever heard, and I've heard a great number of them. This recording is surely going to expand Vargas and Company's fan base from a small circle of die hards to a very large international one. And, it is just about time that people took note of this incredible talent.

Vargas is a powerhouse guitarist who also is among the more tasteful players that I have heard. While many of his other recordings show elements of jazz, funk, Latin, and even flamenco, "Last Night" is purely a Chicago blues masterpiece. While Varas' guitar is front and center throughout the recording, so are the incredible vocals of Bobby Alexander, who sounds like he was born to sing Chicago style blues. His voice, like Vargas' guitar, is powerful yet smooth. They are more than capably supported by the first rate bass guitar of Fran Montero, David Lads Sánchez on keyboards, and Jota Marsán on drums. Though Vargas and Alexander are the core, this is very much a team effort and everyone in the band contributes on this great set.

This CD is spectacular from start to finish and one of the finest live recordings in my collection. The live sound quality is extraordinary and really makes you feel like you are front row center for the show. From the opening notes of the Vargas original "Scratch Me Back", through a great cover of "I Play The Blues For You", on past the band's rendition of Jimmy McGriff's "All About The Girl", and concluding with Vargas' thunderous "Black Cat Boogie", this is a CD that any blues/rock or Chicago blues fan is going to want to own. The CD also comes with an excellent 13 song DVD of the band in concert, which makes this indeed a lot of splendid entertainment for the money.

Review from internet

Vargas Blues Band:

”Javier Vargas was born in Madrid. When he was nine years old, he and his family moved to Argentina, where his parents had lived during the Spanish Civil War. They lived in Mendoza, San Luis, Buenos Aires and also in Mar del Plata, where he started playing the guitar with young musicians in places such as garages. He took guitar lessons, and he also used to go clubs to listen to groups playing blues live.

The first guitar Vargas had, present from his father, it was a Spanish guitar with naylon strings. When he got his first electrical guitar Javier had only 12 years. Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Cream, Rolling Stones, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix etc. became famous and influenced by all this new and amazing music, Vargas decided to play guitar professionally. He was also inspired by the American Blues of B.B.King, Albert King, Freddy King, Albert Collins…

When his family moved to Venezuela in the 70s, Javier took his guitar and went to the U.S.A. to improve his knowledge of guitar by attending University. He lived in Nashville, Tennessee and in Los Angeles, where he played at clubs and also worked as a session guitar player. Every night he used to jam with American and English musicians. At these jams he met Alvin Lee, Roy Buchanan, Canned Heat and many others from whom he learnt a lot.

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