Paco de Lucia – 21 December 1947 – 26 February 2014

End of an era with the death at age 66 of this genius and giant of the guitar, an inspiration to so many. Rest in peace, Maestro!

El País reports
“The city of Algeciras has decreed three days of mourning and will assist the family in bringing the body home.

De Lucía was a globally admired artist who won the 2004 Prince of Asturias Award for his tireless exploration of the possibilities of flamenco. He will also be remembered for his association with the late flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla during the 1960s and 70s.

The musician had been living in Palma de Mallorca for several years, although he also spent periods in Cuba and the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico. Those who knew him back in Mallorca say he had been less keen about playing the guitar of late. De Lucía preferred to spend time with regular people rather than join intellectual and artistic circles. He also devoted a lot of his time to his two young children.”

Documentary

Bulerias – early recording

Live at Leverkuse Jazz Festival

Aranjuez, flamenco style

Live at Montreux

The piece which started it all

News from around
El Mundo
El Pais
BBC
Reuters
The Guardian
NY Times
CBS
AP
CBC
CNN
Tribute on InTune BBC
Tribute in El País from his younger brother
Collected articles on Paco in El País
Tribute from Chick Corea

 

Segovia and Flamenco

Segovia on Flamenco Guitar, Song and Dance – from Guitar Review, 1977

Segovia’s stated credo was that he, like the Blues Brothers, was on a mission from God — well, maybe not God, but a sort of holy mission — to rescue the guitar from the taverns and the associated lowlife folks in whose hands it was then found. Obviously, he could have problems with flamenco.
Well, not quite, as it turns out.

Flamencos and Segovia

Manolo Cano, Andrés Segovia, Sabicas and Rafael Gómez Montero at the CONCURSO NACIONAL DE CANTE JONDO GRANADA 1922

Thanks to Brook Zern of the Flamenco Experience for this fascinating article.

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