Javier Batiz

Born

1944-06-03

Birthplace

Tijuana, Mexico

Biography

Mexican guitarist from Tijuana and precursor of rock in Mexico. In 1957 he founded a group called Los TJ's with which he picked up musical influences that were received in the Mexican border cities of black music, blues and R&B from people like T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, James Brown, among others. Bátiz moved to Mexico City. By 1968 Javier Bátiz became a famous figure in the Mexican blues world and was hired to play at the Terraza Casino bar, which turned out to be a successful season. Personalities from all walks of life gathered there every night to draw impressive crowds, including politicians, artists and intellectuals. That popularity led him to perform in 1969 at the first massive open-air concert in Mexico held by authorities of the then Mexico City Department in the Alameda Central, where according to eyewitness estimates, Javier played to an audience of at least 18,000 people. Known as a teacher of people such as: Carlos Santana, Alex Lora, Abraham Laboriel, Fito de la Parra (Canned Heat), and Guillermo Briseño. Carlos Santana has always been recognized as the creator of Javier Bátiz's sound. In the year 2000 he participated in Canned Heat's Boogie 2000 album, with the song ¨The world of make believe¨ song that took the first places in Europe, which allowed him to travel with Canned Heat on tour in Milan, Ceseña, Terramo and Naples, in Italy. He presented his Metromental Recording which featured the seventies genius with a modern treatment in arrangements and production by Tony and Beto Méndez and special collaborations by Álex Lora, Lalo Toral (Locos de Ritmo), Guillermo Briseño, Nando Estevane and Fernando Vahaux among others.