Bryan Vargas

@bryanvargas

Guitarist to the NYC Global Music Superstars; College Professor; hopelessly Progressive Liberal; proudly Nerdy; Lover of Muppets, Comics, Bikes, Books, Music, & Movies; Native NYer 4life 🇵🇷 IG: @bkbv

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Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Jun 8

I lost my dear friend, visual artist Camilo Rojas-Lavado. Camilo did the art for my one and only CD, has a piece in the permanent collection of the MOMA and was a great Dad, and an amazing friend. I will miss him dearly

My friend Camilo Rojas-Lavado with his son Sebastian

The artwork for my CD Afro Latino Soul designed by Camilo Rojas Lavado along with two of his art books, I Know Bugs and the Notorious Letter E. All three items with a red, black, and white color motif done for Elegua

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· May 18

Hey, look Ma! I got mentioned in the New York Daily News! www.nydailynews.com/2026/05/18/l...

Daily News article interviewing brilliant professor-on-the-street about the LIRR Strike with an annoying Adidas ad inset.

"Another shuttle-bus rider, Bryan Vargas — an adjunct professor at John Jay College — told The News he was heading east from Jamaica to visit his mother. Vargas said he wasn’t upset about the strike, but worried about some of his students who relied on the LIRR to get to class.

“I have finals this week and I have students who can’t make it to their finals,” he said.

“I would have thought Hochul would have been more on top of this,” he said of the governor. “I feel it falls in her lap. It’s a state agency at the end of the day.”

“I feel that the workers are asking for 5% and the MTA is offering 3%,” he continued. “So that seems like a no-brainer, 4% — Make this happen!” Both sides were back at the table as of Sunday night, but it remained unclear if relief was on the horizon."

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Apr 21

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Apr 3

James Gadson & me, NAMM show, January 2012, rest in peace

Guitarist Bryan Vargas smiling ear to ear at the chance for a photo with his hero, drummer James Gadson who seems less enthused

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Jan 27

Rest in peace Sal Buscema

Cover of Spectacular Spider-Man #200 by Sal Buscema showing Spidey in a daring aerial fight with the Green Goblin

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Dec 4

90% of the time when I’m playing guitar I’m merely trying my best to sound like Steve Cropper. Rest in peace to one of the true GOATs

Young Steve Cropper with his telecaster looking badass as Hell

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Nov 5

OK NYT Games, clearly you need to get out and hear some music once in a while!

NYT Spelling Bee rejecting the word Montuno

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Nov 3

Rest in peace Lô Borges. Clube da Esquina 4 LIFE.

Lo Borges standing, wearing the coolest striped pants ever, with Milton Nascimento seated, holding a guitar

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Nov 3

No shock that the NYT has no Duende whatsoever

NYT spelling bee that says that “Duende” is “not in word list”

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Oct 27

Rest in peace, our hero, Jack DeJohnette

Jack DeJohnette on his drum kit looking fly as hell and probably grooving just as hard

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Oct 14

Rest in peace, our hero, D’Angelo. Thank you for everything

D’Angelo (RIP) looking downward sullenly

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Sep 14

Our hero, our genius, our greatest musical warrior. I am at a loss for words over the passing of Hermeto Pascoal. So happy to got to see him play, to meet him, talk with him. His music, his spirit - always brought me such inspiration and such joy. We love you Hermeto.

A picture of the great Brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal, and Nuyorican musician Bryan Vargas, his biggest fan

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Sep 2

‘Nuff said.

A screen shot of NYTimes Spelling Bee showing the word “bollocks” declaring it not in word list

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Aug 12

Joseito Rivera was a mentor to me and many others in the New York Puerto Rican music community. El Rincón Criollo Cultural Center needs to raise $4500 to help cover funeral expenses. Please donate if you can, and please share with others who may be able to contribute as well

Information to donate money via Zelle for the funeral arrangements for NYC Puerto Rican musician Joseito Rivera. Send via elrinconccc@gmail.com

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Aug 7

Devastated by the news of the passing of Eddie Palmieri. My biggest musical hero, my reason for so much of what I do. Every concert I went to was pure joy and perfection. Every album, my favorite.

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Aug 1

Cuatrista Nieves Quintero, as beautifully captured by Chegui Rodríguez. RIP

A painting of Puerto Rican Cuatro player Nieves Quintero by Chegui Rodríguez, show with Cuatro in hand, in from of a banana tree, with a silhouette of NYC on his shirt

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Jul 16

Somebody buy me this beer ASAP!!!

A label for Puerto Rican microbrewery Cervezas Camacho, depicting La Muerte de Salcedo, where three indigenous Tainos drowned the evil Conquistador Salcedo

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Jun 14

A parody of the 1st Bad Brains album cover except instead of the Capital Bldg, lightning is striking a convicted felon. And it says NO KINGS in all caps

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Jun 9

Sly Stone, Slyvester Stewart. My hero. Genius. Thank you for always reminding me to Stand. And that Everybody is truly indeed a star. And I can make it, if I try. Don't you know that you are FREE? Well at least in your mind if you want to be. Rest in peace

The great musical genius Sly Stone wearing a dope ass hat

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· May 1

TONIGHT- Thurs 5/1/25 - Bryan Vargas’ BV3 - Bryan Vargas - guitars, Derek Nievergelt - bass, Sean Dixon- drums playing brand new music at the Uncharted Music Series at Greenwich House Music School 46 Barrow St, Greenwich Village, NYC - 8 PM greenwichhouse.org/event/unchar...

Poster of Bryan Vargas and his trio trying their best to look “cool” for the Uncharted Music Series

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Mar 4

Jesus Christ people! How many times do I need to say it?!?! It’s Goldblum’s Law! Just follow it!

A gif of Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park reciting Goldblum’s Law: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they never stopped to think if they should.”

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Mar 2

I enjoyed this possibly more than I should have.

A four panel comic. 1st panel: a young farmer says to his partner, "Ok, chicken coup is done". Panel 2: The partner replies "Coop. There is a P sound in the word Coop." Panel 3: Close up on farmer 1's face where he says "oh no..." Panel 4: The chickens revolt! Chickens with knives and guns arrive outside the farmer's window yelling "Down with tyrants!" as the farmers look on in terror. Comic by GoodBearcomics.com

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Mar 1

Way back in 2002, my band played the AIDS Walk finale at the Central Park Bandshell. We were the opener and Buster Poindexter AKA David Johansen was the headliner. He was friendly and extremely complimentary to us, and I was flying on air. Not all heroes wear capes, some wear mascara & lipstick. RIP

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Jan 23

This Fri 1/24/25 7 PM - Bryan Vargas & Ongaku Yabai w/Nicki Denner - piano, Greg Gonzalez - drums, Derek Nievergelt - bass, Yusuke Yamamoto - vibes, me on guitar & vox. Playing YMO, Akiko Yano & more at Third Street Music School Live Sounds Concert Series 235 E 11th St, E Vill, NYC - FREE w/RSVP

Its Bryan Vargas smiling and holding his Jose Conde Flamenco Negra nylon string guitar

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Jan 16

Very sad about David Lynch, who was a major formative influence to me both as an artist and how I see the world. Thank you for showing me that the owls are not what they seem. Rest in peace.

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Dec 26

New year, new project, new show. Bryan Vargas & Ongaku Yanai playing the solo music of YMO plus Akiko Yano. Fri Jan 24th at Third St Music School free with RSVP at thirdstreet.nyc/livesounds

Guitarist Bryan Vargas looking rather dashing, while seated playing his Felipe Conde nylon string guitar advertising his Jan 24th concert at the Third St Music School in NYC

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Dec 7

Thank you Nicko McBrain for 42 years of service. Your drumming brought me tremendous joy. Glad I got to see you play as many times as I did, and that I got to meet you once too. Now and always - UP THE IRONS!

NYC based guitarist Bryan Vargas smiling ear to ear when he met his hero, Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain at the NAMM conference back in 2012

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Nov 16

Aotearoa (NZ) MP Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke Art by Māori artist Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho

A graphic image by Māori artist Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho of MP Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke ripping a disgusting bill to shreds on the floor of Parliament while performing a haka

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Nov 13

Then in the year 2000... that same Lex Luthor ran for President. This story was brilliantly portrayed in the Justice League Unlimited animated series

Cover of Superman: Lex 2000 where Lex Luthor runs for president. And you thought only the Simpsons predicted the future.

Scene from Justice League Unlimited where Superman confronts President Luthor in the Oval Office. Luthor looks douchey and evil like Donald Trump.

Bryan Vargas@bryanvargas· Nov 13

When DC comics rebooted their characters in the late 80s, they made it very clear who the new Lex Luthor was based on, Donald Trump. This is the cover to a "biographical" issue they published with the cover blatantly mimicking Trump's Art of the Deal