24/7 Valencia: Can you tell us something about your musical education, training and career?
My musical education was, above all, self-taught. There was no Internet or Youtube. I grew up at a time when information about the blues was very scarce, so I educated myself by listening to vinyl records, recording tapes and absorbing every sound with the intensity of someone who feels they’ve found something essential.
But it wasn’t until I started attending live concerts that I realised the true dimension of this music. I was lucky enough that in Valencia, in the 1980s, there were many great international blues concerts, with artists like James Cotton, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Billy Branch and Lonnie Brooks. Seeing them on stage was a revelation: the blues was not just about sound, it was about an attitude, an energy and a truth. From then on, the harmonica became my tool to tell my own stories within the blues.
Can you tell us about your influences?
Since I was very young, music has been a constant in my life. I like music in general, without barriers or labels. I can be influenced by Albinoni, Chet Baker or Muddy Waters, because emotion and musical quality have no genre.
I remember perfectly well the emotion of listening on the radio to Led Zeppelin or James Brown, moments when music felt like something great, almost sacred.
Within the blues, my influences are wide and varied, ranging from Roosevelt Sykes to Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown or from Sonny Terry to R.L. Burnside or Sue Foley.
In the field of harmonica, influences would be artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, James Cotton, Billy Branch and Carey Bell. It is worth mentioning that there were two Sonny Boy Williamsons, John Lee Williamson and Rice Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II). Indeed, both were fundamental in the evolution of the blues and in the development of the harmonica as a solo instrument.
What is so special about the harmonica?
The harmonica is pure feeling. It is the only instrument where you blow and breathe, which makes it intimate and visceral, almost like breathing. It can convey sadness or elation with a unique intensity. For many bluesmen, it was the natural choice because of its accessibility… and in my case, also because I didn’t have the money for another instrument.
What is ‘The Blues Café’ in Valencia?
It’s a special monthly event where music and dance merge. We love to play in an environment where the audience feels the blues with their whole body. It’s a reminder that this music is not only heard, but lived.
Do you have any gigs coming up?
Yes, on March 28th we will be playing with the full band at ‘La Batisfera’ venue in Valencia. We are also continuing with the monthly Jam Session at the Cliffs pub in L’Eliana, and we will be playing at Rebeldía Blues in Dénia. I also perform in duo and trio format, adapting the music to different spaces. We announce all the concerts on our social networks.
How do you see the blues scene in Valencia?
More than growing, it’s staying alive, which is an achievement. There are new talented musicians, but there is a need for more concert venues. Fortunately, academies, teachers and dancers continue to promote the blues, generating an ecosystem that keeps this music alive. There is also a growing interest in harmonica, and many people ask me for help to learn. As long as there are people who play, dance and feel the blues, its spirit will carry on, and I will continue to hold the harmonica in my hand, telling stories!
Interview by Will McCarthy
Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’
Photo ‘Danny Boy Sánchez’ copyright Phillip Solomonson/ 24/7 Valencia
More info: https://www.facebook.com/DannyBoyVlc
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