At just 23 years old, Juan Salinas has become an icon of the Argentine guitar with a great international projection. After a tour of the coast with his father Luis, the well-known Buenos Aires musician will perform this Wednesday (January 18) at Bebop, the Palermo venue. The band that supports him is composed by Patán Vidal, Mauro Ceriello and Pato Raffo. What about a fine and powerful quartet.
Juan’s story almost came out of a movie. when was just 4 years old, took the stage for the first time and drove the audience crazy. It was his father Luis Salinas who, from a young age, gave him space on stageas well as supporting him in his interest in the guitar in a self-taught way.
Suddenly the years passed and still being a precocious child in school, he had the luxury of touring Europe and the US in his old manan unusual situation for boys his age: is a boy touched by a magic wand?
“We were at Villa Gesell. I had broken my wrist jumping down a slide. I remember everything and that I was only four years old. I went up to sing a daddy candombe with my hand in a cast. ‘Thanks for coming,’ I said to the audience, ‘and got off,’” recalls the guitarist.
At the time, his thing was the Peruvian draftsman, he confesses. Well, from the time he was six he played it, getting up more often to accompany his father towards the end of the shows. Over the years the guitar has been his inseparable companion.
“I’m self-taught like dad. I learned from him to play over Santana’s songs, for example. My old man told me, ‘Play the above song, get it out, and then play it your way again,’ was his advice. I didn’t know any scales or chords. Dad used to throw concepts and ideas at me about how to improvise,” he points out with wide eyes.
drop out of high school
The speed with which he went from amateur to professional musician marked a rare occurrence for a teenager. He had to sit down and talk to his parents and tell them that he wanted to drop out of school to devote himself entirely to music.
“Actually at fifteen I left school because I was free. I often traveled with my father to play in France, Spain, the United States. “If you are serious about doing this, we support you,” they replied when I spoke to them about dropping out of school.
Having lived in the middle of high school has made him become an adult while still a teenager, at least in terms of work. However, he still has some friends from those school years.
“I lived elementary school more intensely because I skipped part of high school, I dropped out in third grade. These days I happened to come across compas from primary school. I’ve noticed how crazy the passage of time is,” she analyzes.
And then he focuses more deeply on his life process: “I had few connections left. I didn’t go to art school. The musical stick was hardened on the outside, I related to people older than me. I also played sports, basketball, soccer, but my passion was music,” she says.
Having skipped a transcendental phase of adolescence does not generate regrets when you look back on what you have experienced.
“At the time, I went to some bowling alleys, did stuff for kids that age. I lit up on the hip spots in bars with coworkers and then changed surroundings. It’s only now that I’ve come into contact with guys my age, but who come from the music field like me. I usually go to bars where there is live music,” he describes.
If it comes to courtships, it is difficult for him to deal with a couple today when he goes from place to place.
“Let’s see, my life is music and I go to many places to play. But I’ve had a girlfriend since I was 15, the relationship lasted for five. And until recently I was dating another girl but we broke up.
the first guitars
Logically, Juan always had guitars at hand: his father has several that came into his hands by decanting.
“They were electric and Spanish. But something happened. BB King came to the carnival and Dad took me to see him, just as I had released the song When the saints march in. Back we went to see Jeff Beck and he blew my mind. I was able to say hello and his bodyguard gave me one of his picks. That was a before and after: dad gave me a Fender Stratocaster”.
Regarding the death of the British star, the young Salinas adds that “it was very sad news for me because he was one of those who influenced and inspired me to give everything on the guitar. Also, the time I met him I took a picture with him, I don’t know where to keep it.”
Although the influences on the guitarist have not only been those of established artists that he has had the opportunity to meet. Make a list now.
“Others of my teachers were Albert Collins, Louis Armstrong, West Montgomery and George Benson. And inside the popular music, Roberto Grela, Aníbal Troilo, Horacio Salgán and Rubén Juárez”.
Despite the fact that the gorge of names is endless, Juan suddenly returns to his guiding light.
“I’ll never forget dad’s words the first time I got up to play guitar: “I hear what you play, listen to your teammates and enjoy”. That’s when I realized that the time to study is behind the scenes, but when it comes to playing with people it’s about sharing,” she explains.
Move in the major leagues
The good fortune of having grown up next to his father Luis has brought many benefits to Juan, such as associating with local and international music greats.
“I got to know Mercedes Sosa closely. She loved me very much. I also had the opportunity to meet David Lebón, Pedro Aznar, Horacio Salgán, Rubén Rada, Dino Saluzzi, Luis Alberto Spinetta, and we also made friends with his son Dante, who invited me to play with him. Dad also took me to see Rata Blanca because he is a good friend of the drummer“, points out.
In turn there are artists who he defines as uncles, as well as friends, because they are almost family members.
“These are the cases of Hugo Varela, he is really my uncle. The same thing happened with Rubén Juárez, I remember one time when I was a kid and he cooked me a steak at my old man’s house, there was that kind of close relationship with him.
Last I saw him he was tired, cancer patient, suddenly he grabbed the bandoneon and transformed, it was like he suddenly recovered. I am equally familiar with Patán Vidal, who is playing with me. He’s like a guy, a total character.”
Internationally, thanks to the countless trips with his father, Juan has made friends and even shared stages with great musicians, of which he keeps precious anecdotes.
“I was a boy. I was 12 and we were playing in Europe. I remember being with Tomatito, we played at the Córcega festival. He’s also like my uncle. Dad instead at that time invited me to go to Lincoln Center in the United States. In Spain we are also friends with El Cigala”.
Then Juan is silent briefly and does not want to overlook something incredible for him: “Ah! I met George Benson! Since Dad doesn’t speak English, I translated the conversation between him and Benson.
You don’t know what it was like for me that Benson looked me in the eye when I translated into English what dad was saying to him! I remember giving my solo record to Benson. ‘He has to play well’, he said out loud,” he comments and smiles.
The mother pushing from the sky
Despite the great artistic moment, Juan had the misfortune of losing his mother in 2021 due to sudden cancer.
“My old lady died a year ago. Now I’m alone, in a process of maturation. In her process of losing, she put more energy. I saw her hard and she told me I had to move on.
Just when he was about to leave, I had to play. I didn’t want to leave, but she said to me: “Go play. Can you cancel the appointment?” Not! You are about to play. I didn’t feel well, but I did the show for her. Mom died on December 27, 2021”.
Due to the absence of his mother, with whom he grew up and lived until her death in the Monserrat district, his relationship with his father from a human point of view has considerably strengthened, despite having formed a new family after the separation from his mother when the young rapist was just four years old.
“In early January we went to Mar del Plata because Dad always rents the first fortnight of the year and we usually go along the coast. It was special because it was the first time I drove the car to Mar del Plata. The four of us went together: Dad, Dad’s wife, who is like my mother, and Rita, my stepsister, who is 13,” she explains.
Of all this process of “evolution” and learning, the musician underlines the following aspect: “Family ties are changing and I am learning as a son. Even with music, because today I realize it’s healing, that’s where I can channel what happens to me.
I feel that my sister is my family. When I was little I took care of her. We never lived together because she lived with her mother. She is impressive how everything is changing from the experiential,” expresses the guitarist.
What’s coming
“I’m about to release my second solo album. I already have four songs sung, all mine,” announces the musician.
As he reveals, today he plans to compose songs, influenced by styles such as soul and funk.
“Now I understand things that I couldn’t before because I was very young. I tell stories not just in a lyric, but in a guitar solo. I’m recording in the studio of Lito Vitale, another “uncle” of mine. I like to record with musicians live, in an analog way. I already recorded a year and a half ago but now I want to change things, that’s how I feel today,” he points out.
-What does your father tell you about your solo journey?
-He goes to shows and tells me what he liked. He observes my evolution, enjoys being in the audience and I always invite him to play a couple of songs.
-How do you see yourself in the future?
-For now, I play with my old man and I along with my records. I want to finish my album first and my plan is to go out and play overseas. I have the idea of living in Spain, living elsewhere, experimenting, seeing how I feel, learning more about the United States, even if the base is always my country. Furthermore, we have projects together with Facu Monti, son of Yaco; with Carlos de Jocaba, flamenco guitarist; and Johnny Jiménez, the violer of El Cigala. Everything will go by itself.
Source: Clarin
