Mario Cobo

Recognised as one of the finest guitarists and one of the most creative musicians in rock’n’roll and rockabilly, he came to the blues by travelling back along his own sonic route, spurred on by the curiosity born of a Mississippi John Hurt record that was knocking about his parents’ house. In love with the guitar from a very early age, he was always clear that he wanted to devote himself to music, and in 1996 he began his professional career with The Nu Niles, a legendary band on the blues and rock’n’roll scene in our country. His command of a variety of genres such as rhythm&blues, swing, jazz or country has allowed him to play with international artists such as Dale Hawkins, Janis Martin, Kim Lenz and Mike Sanchez. A deep connoisseur of American roots music, and displaying a kindly, ironic humour, he shows himself more seduced by the depth of the message and its universal language than by fireworks: “I am only interested in the blues when it is used to communicate, to entertain and to connect with the audience. When it focuses on virtuosity or on pure, hard stylistic exercises, I shut up shop and go back to my old vinyl records.”