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Paco de Lucia

Paco De Lucia revolutionized flamenco guitar playing, and contributed to the renewal of flamenco by integrating sounds and instruments from other forms of music. He is the premier flamenco guitarist in Spain, Paco de Lucia.

Francisco Sánchez Gómez was born in Algeciras, a city in the province of Cádiz, in the Southernmost tip of Spain on December 21st, 1947. His stage name is homage to his mother Lucia Gómez. In 1958, at only age 11, de Lucia made his first public appearance and a year later he was awarded a special prize in the Jerez flamenco competition. At 14 he was touring with the flamenco troupe of dancer Jose Greco. He worked with Greco for three seasons; it was while on tour with Greco in the United States that he met the great Sabicas, an influential guitarist, who encouraged him to pursue a more personal style. Back in Spain, he joined Festival Flamenco Gitano, an annual flamenco showcase tour that lasted for seven years. He recorded his first album in 1964, at the age of 18

After his first solo record, success arrived in 1967 with “La Fabulosa Guitarra de Paco de Lucia.” With this record de Lucia began to distance himself from the influence of past masters and by “Fantasia Flamenca,” recorded in 1969, he had defined his own style. His superb technique was displayed in well structured pieces that departed from the flamenco tradition of theme and variations.

In 1968, he met Camarón de la Isla, one of the premier flamenco singers. Their association has been chronicled on more than 10 records. Paco de Lucia's new style became more evident in “El Duende Flamenco,” (1972) “Fuente Y Caudal,” (1973) (which included the hit “Entre Dos Aguas”) and “Almoraima” (1976) which some consider a masterpiece. They were followed by “Paco de Lucia Interpreta a Manuel de Falla,”(1980), a superb tribute to the classical composer who was an admirer of flamenco music, and, in 1981, “Solo Quiero Caminar.”

He has been criticized by flamenco die hards for his forays into other styles (his own sextet, organized in 1981), includes bass, drums, and saxophone) and his high profile collaborations, especially with jazz musicians, most notably with pianist Chick Corea and fellow guitarist John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell and Al DiMeola. But the often dazzling results of these collaborations have been documented in several releases including the guitar trio albums “Castro Marin,” (1979) “Passion Grace and Fire,” (1982) and “Friday Night in San Francisco.” (1981) He has also recorded soundtracks for several Spanish films.He is also credited for introducing the Peruvian cajon into flamenco, as he brought one back to Spain after his many travels worldwide.The cajon is now becoming more noticable with the new generation of players.

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661
Live Review

Paco de Lucia: Live in Belgrade at the Guitar Art Festival

Read "Paco de Lucia: Live in Belgrade at the Guitar Art Festival" reviewed by Nenad Georgievski


Paco de Lucia Guitar Art FestivalSava Centar Belgrade January, 12, 2010

Flamenco music is full of intense passion, fire, boiling emotions and grace. It is a profound and moving experience for everyone witnessing a true artist performing in this tradition. The music evokes a wide range of emotions--joy to despair, serenity to anger, happiness to sadness. The amount of emotion and passion displayed by these artists can be so overwhelming and enchanting that ...

160
Live Review

Paco de Lucia at NJPAC, Newark, N.J, February 28, 2004

Read "Paco de Lucia at NJPAC, Newark, N.J, February 28, 2004" reviewed by Sandy Ingham


I was in awe.

Paco de Lucia sat cross-legged, center stage, minimally illuminated, playing flamenco jazz that took my breath away with its virtuosity. How could this one guitarist be producing this many notes, I wondered, as I listened to the rich, soulful music that sprang from the south of Spain centuries ago. Flanking him were members of his sextet, even more dimly lighted, barely more than shadowy silhouettes, tapping out ever-changing rhythmic patterns on drums, other percussion instruments and ...

284
Album Review

Paco de Lucia: Cositas Buenas

Read "Cositas Buenas" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Most veteran jazz listeners probably came across Paco de Lucia during his rip-roaring '80s adventures alongside fellow guitarists John McLaughlin and Al DiMeola. In that particularly heated setting, each player aimed for pure intensity--and amazingly enough, nobody fell by the wayside.

Diehard flamenco fans probably found Paco de Lucia elsewhere. His first record, 1961's La Fabulosa Guitarra, featured his brother Pepe on vocals and proudly displayed a slicked-back hairstyle on the cover. It fell directly into the longstanding ...

128
Album Review

Paco de Luc: Cositas Buenas

Read "Cositas Buenas" reviewed by Eric J. Iannelli


When a musician as rare and as skilled as Paco de Lucía falls silent for over five years, you might guess that he’s either suffering a nervous breakdown in relative privacy, or he’s busy composing some of the best music of his career (though some artists have managed to do both at once). Cositas Buenas would seem to be a confirmation of the latter hunch. It qualifies as the flamenco guitarist’s most praiseworthy album behind the still unparalleled Siroco (1987).

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Recording

John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola & Paco De Lucia "Passion Grace & Fire" Reissued On 180g Virgin Vinyl by Audio Fidelity

John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola & Paco De Lucia "Passion Grace & Fire" Reissued On 180g Virgin Vinyl by Audio Fidelity

Source: All About Jazz

In 1983 the guitar super trio of John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucía reunited for another set of acoustic guitar trios. Unlike their first album the phenomenal live acoustic performance Friday Night In San Francisco this masterpiece consists entirely of studio sessions. Passion Grace & Fire is a mix of flamenco, fusion, jazz, latin and classical music, bathed with beauty and compassion. It is simply three mindblowing musicians that united to produce the last word in acoustic ...

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Obituary

Renowned Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia dies at 66

Renowned Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia dies at 66

Source: Michael Ricci

Paco de Lucia, the influential Spanish guitarist who vastly expanded the international audience for flamenco and merged it with other musical styles, died suddenly on Wednesday of a heart attack in Mexico. The 66-year-old virtuoso, as happy playing seemingly impossible syncopated flamenco rhythms as he was improvising jazz or classical guitar, helped to legitimize flamenco in Spain itself at a time when it was shunned by the mainstream. “I learned the guitar like a child learns to speak," the guitarist ...

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Event

Berklee to Honor Gamble & Huff, Angelique Kidjo, Paco de Lucia, Kenny Barron at Commencement

Berklee to Honor Gamble & Huff, Angelique Kidjo, Paco de Lucia, Kenny Barron at Commencement

Source: Michael Ricci

Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown will present Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, Paco de Lucia, Angelique Kidjo, and Kenny Barron with honorary doctor of music degrees at Berklee College of Music?s commencement ceremony, Saturday, May 8, at the 7, 000-seat Agganis Arena at Boston University. Commencement speaker Kenneth Gamble will address more than 860 Berklee graduates, their parents and invited guests. This year?s honorary doctorate recipients are being recognized for their achievements and influence in music, and for their ...

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Cositas Buenas

Blue Thumb Records
2004

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Meeting Of The...

Umbrella Music DVD
1982

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