Baja California

Classic pairing: Sixties rocker and orchestra

Javier Batiz to perform with classical ensemble

TIJUANA – There was a fire in this city named Javier Batiz who sparked the rock and roll movement in Mexico 54 years ago.

That flame still burns in his musical performances as well as in the more than one thousand musicians he taught, among them Carlos Santana, Alex Lora and Fito de la Parra (drummer for Canned Heat).

"Music is like water to me, like food, it's my life," said Batiz on Monday. "I have always been a musician… But now, I'm in a different stage, where I'm being recognized institutionally, I'm being valued."

He recently received the "Emeritus Creator Award," presented by Mexico's National Council for Arts and Culture and the Baja California government.

The Tijuana musician, nicknamed "El Brujo" (the warlock) for his magical guitar-playing, for first time will play with the Orchestra of Baja California, which will interpret 11 of his works.

The concert is Wednesday (July 8) at 8 p.m. at the Centro Cultural Tijuana in the Río zone.

"With the orchestra I'm beginning to rebuild the generational bridge that we had lost between the music of Tijuana and the musicians from here," said Batiz, who is 67 years old.

In 1957 Batiz founded the band Los TJ's, which was influenced by American music that reached

border cities, such as blues, jazz, R & B, and musicians, such as B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, T. Bone Walker and James Brown, among others.

In the early 1960s Batiz moved to Mexico City and began to teach his "school of music" to bands that at time only appeared to want to record American hits translated to Spanish, a practice the record labels imposed.

That's when talk began of the fire and magic Batiz could produce.

"Since I was a kid I have been a musical innovator. My music has evolved tremendously. Now, here in Tijuana, I'm doing it again," he said.

The guitarist spent Monday morning rehearsing with the orchestra in the new musical center, located on the east side.

Despite their very different musical genres – blues that is more organic than academic; more emotion than an exact musical note – there was harmony between them, empathy.

In rehearsal they played an electrifying version of "The House of the Rising Sun" that portends well for the concert.

Andrés Martín, a bass player with the orchestra, wrote the musical arrangements of six of the eleven pieces that will be performed.

"These arrangements were not easy," he said. "My idea was not to turn Batiz's music into an academic exercise."

At times during the rehearsal it was clear that the orchestra and Batiz were playing the same notes; at other times his guitar led or responded, and in other occasions the two sides produced interesting, textured sounds.

"What you will hear is my 'looseness', with an easy sound, at times combined with the orchestra's strict approach."

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