1. 	"Zorongo Gitano"   	2:56
2. 	"Sevillanas del Siglo XVIII"   	3:09
3. 	"Las Morillas de Jaén"   	2:53
4. 	"Anda Jaleo"   	4:00
5. 	"Los Mozos de Monleon"   	3:00
6. 	"Los Reyes de la Baraja"   	2:50
7. 	"Los Cuatro Muleros"   	2:48
8. 	"Nana de Sevilla"   	3:08
9. 	"Café de Chinitas"   	3:46
10. 	"El Vito"   	2:51
11. 	"Los Peregrinitos"   	3:30
12. 	"Las Tres Hojas"   	2:26

Paco de Lucía – Flamenco guitar
Ricardo Modrego – Flamenco guitar

Paco de Lucía arregla e interpreta las canciones recopiladas por Federico García Lorca: tonadillas, bulerías, jaleos y seguidillas. Originalmente grabado en 1965, cuando sólo tenía 18 años. Reeditado en 2002 con una remasterización del sonido. El disco recoge las principales canciones populares recopiladas por García Lorca: Con la colaboración de el guitarrista Ricardo Modreo, con quien Paco de Lucía realizó numerosas giras entre los años 1962 y 1964. ---flamenco-world.com

This recording dates from 1965, when Paco de Lucía was 16. It is not Flamenco; rather, it is arrangements of Andalusian folk tunes, which is not the same thing.

Lucía at that point had been recognised as a child prodigy (which is why he had a recording contract), but he was not yet what he was to become later; this was eight years before the hit "Entre dos aguas" whose massive success was the pivotal point in his career.

So what he recorded then was dictated by the record company, with the predictable results: albums ranging from tedious pot-boilers to minor masterpieces. Several of them consisted of duets with the guitarist Ricardo Modrego — which is probably the latter's major claim to fame as far as the world outside Spain is concerned. The best of the bunch of Paco's early recordings for my money is Canciones andaluzas para dos guitarras with his brother Ramón de Algeciras, which did (I believe) appear briefly on CD, but now seems to be available only on MP3.

The present album is somewhere in the higher end of the spectrum; the tunes, rescued from obscurity in the 1930's by Spain's best-known poet, are familiar to every Andalusian, and close to the guitarists' native idiom. Lorca was of course a pianist. The arrangements for two guitars are imaginative and good, aided by possibly the best stereo separation I've heard.

Perhaps surprisingly, and certainly unfortunately, however, on this album Modrego appears the better player. The reason is that Lucía plays a guitar with a rattle on the first string that varies from merely annoying in the lower reaches of the fingerboard to excruciating at the 15th fret (which is used more often than you might think, e.g. on El Vito). ---Paul Magnussen, amazon.com

download: uploaded yandex 4shared mediafire solidfiles mega filecloudio nornar ziddu

back

01. Malagueña
02. A tu Vera
03. María de la O
04. Moliendo Café
05. Tangos de la Vieja Rica
06. Sevillanas Populares
07. Ojos Verdes
08. La Luna y el Toro
09. La Niña de la Puerta Oscura
10. La Cárcel de Oro
11. No me Digas que No
12. El Emigrante

Personnel:
Paco de Lucía (Flamenco guitar)
Ricardo Modrego (Flamenco guitar)

Flamenco is the music and dance of the Andalucian region of Spain with its roots in east Indian, Arabic and European Gypsy music. It is a hybrid music in the sense that it is totally unique and separate from the musical forms which created it-very much like the emergence of American jazz.

From the VIII to the XV centuries, when Spain was under Arab domination, their music and musical instruments were modified and adapted by Christians and Jews, and later by gypsies.

These groups in turn were persecuted at the end of the Arab rule and during the Spanish inquisition so that Flamenco was born and thrived as a voice of protest and hope and as a cultural and emotional expression of the subjugated masses.

The essence of Flamenco is cante, or song, often accompanied by guitar music and improvised dance. Music and dance fall into three categories; jondo or grande (profound or deep) intensely sad and dealing with themes of death, anguish, despair or religious sentiments; intermedio (intermediate) less profound but also moving, often with an oriental cast to the music; and chico (small or light) with subjects of love, ribald humour and happiness.

Flamencos began presenting their art professionally in the XIX century in the Cafe Cantantes and present-day flamenco performances have essentially not changed very much since then (i.e., The dancer as the main attraction accompanied by the song, guitar and hand-clapping.)

Flamenco is very much alive today in Spain at the grass roots level in Andalucia at weddings, parties and social events as a cultural expression where young and old, male and female participate equally. At the same time Flamenco is being performed by Gypsies and non-Gypsies alike on stages far away from its birthplace and over the years it has become a highly polished art form with countless aficionados world-wide. ---tierra-flamenca.com

download: uploaded yandex 4shared mediafire solidfiles mega filecloudio nornar ziddu

back

1. Monasterio de Sal
2. Gitanos Andaluces
3. Castro Marin
4. Herencia
5. Convite
6. Palenque
7. Huida

Musicians:
    Paco de Lucía - Flamenco guitar
    Larry Coryell - Acoustic guitar
    John McLaughlin - Acoustic guitar, 12 strings guitar
    Carles Benavent - Bass Guitar

Paco de Lucia is nothing short of a legend in the guitar world, let alone the world of flamenco. Lauded as a child prodigy, he became an institution and as important to modern guitar playing - in my humble opinion - as Andres Segovia, Charlie Christian or Django Reinhardt. However, it is in his later career, starting in the '70s, when he went on to spawn a whole new language within flamenco, despite leaving some of the rabid traditionalists behind in his wake.

Part of that journey was his work with jazz musicians, initially with Al Di Meola and later with Chick Corea, Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin. I believe his first such live concert was with the later two, and this led to the eventual trio of Di Meola/McLaughlin/de Lucia and the famous "Friday Night in San Francisco" album. However, in many ways, this album is more rewarding. It also led to his more modern group setting, incorporating electric bass and extended improvisation.

If purely for the more traditional pieces, this album finds Paco arguably at a high point in his career, technically and compositionally, as well as in terms of maturity and innovation. Whilst earlier collections (e.g. "Almoraima") show more straight-ahead flamenco traditionalism and bravado, this album brings together mature, well composed and innovative pieces, with experimentation in the world of jazz.

It also marks a change in approach to production and arrangement on Paco's albums: whereas earlier albums such as "Almoraima" often presented some gimicky aspects (the "payo" ensemble singing in particular) and syrupy sound treatment, here the sound is clear, bright and present, with a more subtle reverb, allowing the guitar to feel much closer to the listener.

All the pieces are De Lucia originals. "Monestario De Sal" is a beautiful "Colombianas" in a dropped D-tuning and a Mixolydian modal feel, that exhibits exuberance and astounding brio without being crass. "Gitanos Andaluces" is arguably his most complete and recognisable Bulerias and a classic rendition of this form. "Castro Marin" (Fandango), and "Herencia" (Solea) are all arguably some of his finest renditions of these forms and astound with their profundity as much as their masterful execution and jaw-dropping technique. For these pieces, and the closing "Huida", this album contains some of his most memorable themes and should be rated as one of Paco's finest albums.

But also hiding on this album are Larry and John. "Convite", a Paco piece and duet with Larry, starts off with dissonant 9th chords descending in whole tones, and is both a rumba and a jazz piece. Larry Coryell offers a short masterclass in forced harmonics and how to swing and his solo his genuinely cool. Overall, there is a freshness and playfulness about this piece that smacks of true innovation and exploration. His playing is good enough to overlook his sometimes questionable technique.

"Palenque" (meaning, literally, a "cock fighting pit") pits the three of these players together in trio format and again has the spirit of adventure that perhaps was lacking in later trio albums. All three players turn in splendid improvisations. It's may be not as polished as the De Meola albums, but it doesn't really suffer for that and indeed, feels more like the later duo appearances that De Lucia and McLaughlin were going to make after "Passion, Grace and Fire" was released.

All in all then, a splendid and very complete work, and a must have album for those seeking out the best of his collaborations outside of flamenco. ---DVDER, amazon.com

download: uploaded nornar yandex 4shared mediafire solidfiles mega filecloudio ziddu

back

1.    "Patio Custodio" - Bulerías 4:44
2.    "Cositas Buenas" (Good little things) - Tangos 4:23
3.    "Antonia" - Bulería por Soleá 6:28
4.    "El Dengue" - Rumba 4:03
5.    "Volar" - Bulerías 5:30
6.    "El Tesorillo" (The little treasure) - Tientos 4:39
7.    "Que Venga el Alba" - Bulerías 4:11
8.    "Casa Bernado" - Rumba 4:12

Musicians
Paco de Lucía - Guitar, vocal, lute, mandolin, bouzouki
Percussion: Piraña
Tomatito- Guitar
Palmas and Chorus: 
Guadiana, Antonio el Negro, Montse Cortés, Tana, Potito, Ángela Bautista, and Paco.

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 tradition of flamenco, a product of mixed peoples, including gypsy and Moor cultures. As de Lucia has grown older and broadened his horizons, he has continually incorporated styles from the New World and elsewhere, breaking the centuries-old Andalusian mold.

De Lucia's long been recognized as a virtuoso without par on his instrument, and his best recording to date remains 1987's crisp, pared-down Siroco. Now a somewhat shaggier beast, he's returned after a five year absence with Cositas Buenas, which provides exactly the same "good little things" the title promises. He finds willing partners in guitarists Juan D'Anyelica and Tomatito, though for the most part these pieces are uncomplicated, warm songs with the poignant, fiery vocals characteristic of the tradition.

One surprise comes in the form of the oddly melancholy El Tesorillo—a gradually crescendoing tientos with singers Diego el Cigala and Angela Bautista occupying open space above spare guitar. Its unusual simplicity belies a soft mood. The rumba "Casa Bernardo" brings (fretless) bassist Alain Pérez into the mix and features the understated (muted) trumpet of Jerry González, crossing all sorts of boundaries without being heavyhanded about it.

But the four bulerias on the record cling most tightly to de Lucia's roots, and those roots run deep. Despite the relatively novelty of the other pieces (including the tangos title track), the traditional music rings truest. Cositas Buenas may not be de Lucia's best record, but that's not a heavy criticism given the guitarist's high standards over the last forty-plus years. It's certainly refreshing to see him return to record after such a lengthy hiatus. Maybe next time the serving will extend beyond these brief 39 minutes. ---Aaj Staff , allabout.jazz

download: uploaded yandex 4shared mediafire solidfiles mega filecloudio nornar ziddu

back

1. Jerez En Fiestas
2. En La Alcazaba
3. Gaditanas
4. Tientos Del Amanecer
5. Guajira Flamenca
6. Real De La Feria
7. Taconero Gitano
8. Sortilegio
9. Seguiriya Tradicional
10. Entre Arrayanes
11. Fuente De Carmona
12. Caleta

Paco de Lucía – gitar
Ricardo Modrego - guitar

Flamenco is a form of folk music and dance. Far more than just rapid-fire guitar playing with handclaps, Flamenco has influences from Hindu and Arabic music. Flamenco singing tends to stretch out the vowels. The rhythms are extremely complex. All of this can seem chaotic and grating to the untrained ear. But the small amount of Flamenco that I’ve heard I’ve found to be quite beautiful. Repeated exposure has allowed me to find patterns in the music, and I’ve discovered that I wanted to know more.

One of the first albums of Flamenco music I’ve listened to is Dos guitarras flamencas en stereo: “Two flamenco guitars in stereo”. My previous attempt at listening to Flamenco–the groundbreaking and genre-changing La Leyenda Del Tiempo–had been somewhat successful, but my opinions were mixed. Flamenco singing, with its tendency to stretch out vowels at seemingly random times, is somewhat challenging for an American raised on classic rock to appreciate. As a guitarist, I was attracted to the simplicity of Dos guitarras: I would hear two guitar players and nothing else. Surely this would show me Flamenco music at its simplest, and most accessible. I was right and wrong about that.

I was right about one thing: It’s easier to hear the melodies, the rhythms, when they are presented by two instruments. It’s harder to hear the differences between the songs at first, but different they are. The elements of fast, melodic Picado runs played against descending Phrygian chords are common throughout the album. The melodies are complex, skillfully played, but never sensationalistic.

An album with the same instrumentation on every song is always a challenge to appreciate. It doesn’t help that there isn’t much space in between the songs! But repeated listening is only now bringing out the differences between the various songs on Dos guitarras. The halting, stuttering Tientos Del Amanecer; the happy, bright Taconeo Gitano; the tension-filled yet hopeful finale, La Caleta. All are distinct and bring a different flavor to the album. ---magnificentnose.com

download: uploaded yandex 4shared mediafire solidfiles mega filecloudio nornar ziddu

back

1. Percusión Flamenca (zapateado) con orquesta 
2. Barrio La Viña (alegrías) 
3. Doblan Campanas (rondeñas) 
4. Farruca de Lucía (farruca) con orquesta 
5. Tientos del Mentidero (tientos) 
6. Farolillo de Feria (guajiras) con orquesta 
7. De Madrugá (seguiriyas) 
8. Cuando canta el gallo (soleá) 
9. Punta del Faro (bulerías) 
10. Canastera (fandangos) con orquesta y la guitarra de Ramón de Algeciras

Paco de Lucía - Flamenco guitar

This is what I call Paco's "break away" album. Paco was already recognized as the most technically accomplished Flamenco guitarist ever, the "rising star" of Flamenco, before this album's release. However, until "El Duende Flamenco," Paco had not fully developed his own, distinctive "toque"; i.e., a unique style and, most important, a full set of unique creations.

It is difficult to impart the impact this album had on Flamenco in general and on Flamenco guitarists in particular these more than three decades later. I will never forget the first time I heard it, lying on the floor of a small apartment in Madrid in 1972, the year the album was released. The first cut, a zapateado, was one of four cuts on the album where Paco plays with an orchestra. Arranged by the knowledgeable and very talented Jose Torregrosa, it instantly revealed Paco's musicianship and musicality, which were of such a degree as to place him head and shoulders above any other Flamenco guitarist, past or present.

Two times before an attempt was made to place Flamenco guitar with an orchestra, both of which were musical failures. One was by Sabicas, who was a great guitarist and innovator, the other by Carlos Montoya, a fraud when presented to the public as a virtuoso. In both cases, however, they played what they always played while a composer sought to build an orchestration around them. In contrast, Paco plays here WITH the orchestra, and his compositions (in addition to the zapateado, a farruca, a guajira and a rondeña/canastera) are just that: Complete musical compositions. With a few notable exceptions, until Paco the majority of Flamenco guitarists just strung together a collection of falsetas ("riffs"), but here Paco created themes to which he constantly returned in multiple variations. (His inspiration for this "compositional" style of flamenco were those "few notable exceptions": Sabicas, Mario Escudero and, most notably, Esteban Sanlucar.) Particularly at that time, the overall effect was startling.

The next cut was an alegria uniquely played in a minor mode, and it was a revelation. Again, an entire composition rather than a string of falsetas, major seventh cords which had rarely before been used in Flamenco, and other innovations. To anyone with a depth of knowledge about Flamenco, "genius," in the truest sense of the word, came to mind. By the third cut, a rondeña, there were tears in my eyes. The rondeña was made into a guitar piece by Ramon Montoya several decades before, who made the innovation of tuning two strings differently (the base E down to D, the G a half-step down). Until this recording, every rondeña played by any guitarist was essentially a variation of Ramon's original creation. Paco's rondeña changed all the rules, and once again added a depth of musicianship that had for the most part been missing from Flamenco.

Every single cut on this album was revolutionary for its time, and with it Paco almost single handedly raised the Flamenco guitar to world-class - and the musicianship necessary to play it. One other thing should be noted: Paco was only 24 when he made this recording. "Genius" is, indeed, the word. Having revolutionized the small world of Flamenco artists and aficionados, the next year Paco would catapult beyond those small confines and achieve true national popularity in Spain with "Fuente y Caudal" (pieces of which have been re-released under many different names, such as "Entre Dos Aguas," named for the most famous cut on that album). And it was all due to a caprice: When he finished that album in 1973, there were a few minutes left, and Jose Torregrosa, Paco's regular producer at Phillips, suggested that he play a rumba Paco had been experimenting with, using bongos and an electric base (neither of which had ever been used before in purist Flamenco recordings). Paco obliged, and Torregrosa, always with a nose for what might sell, made it the first cut on the album. That one cut, Entre Dos Aguas, created another revolution beyond the bounds of Flamenco, of which Ottmar Liebert and his minions are a direct result - much to Paco's and all other aficionados' chagrin. But that's another story.

Bottom line: This album is a "must have" for any serious collection of Flamenco recordings. It can arguably be called the first recording of "new" Flamenco. ---L. K. Coleman, amazon.com

download: uploaded yandex 4shared mediafire solidfiles mega filecloudio nornar ziddu

back

1. Guajiras de Lucía [Guijira] - Paco de Lucía, Sánchez, F. 
2. Con el Pensamiento - Paco de Lucía, DeSoto, E.
3. El Tempul - Paco de Lucía, DeSoto, E. 
4. Al Puerto - Paco de Lucía, DeSoto, E. 
5. Maria de los Dolores [Taranto] - Paco de Lucía, DeSoto, E. 
6. Taconeo Gitano [Zapateado] - Paco de Lucía, Sánchez, F. 
7. Callecita Que Subes [Seguirilla] - Paco de Lucía, DeSoto, E. 
8. Recuerdos [Farrucas] - Paco de Lucía, Sánchez, F. 
9. El Impetu - Paco de Lucía, Sánchez, F.
10. El Rinconcillo - Paco de Lucía, DeSoto, E.

Musicians:
Paco de Lucía – Flamenco guitar
Ramón de Algeciras – Flamenco guitar
Pepe de Lucía - Vocals
Raúl - Zapateado

Flamenco album with the great guitar of Paco de Lucia with his brother Ramon de Algeciras and also singing his brother Pepe de Lucía. This CD is a reissue of the original 1971 LP. The year 1971 was an interesting year for Paco, because, by the continuity of their work alone , being only 24 years, he would also open more roads publishing a flamenco-inspired LP and adorning his touch with additional ingredients as the singing and dancing (tap dance). This CD offer flamenco classics styles like soleá, bulería, alegrías, taranto, seguirilla, tango or farruca.

download: uploaded yandex 4shared mediafire solidfiles mega filecloudio nornar ziddu

back

1. Aires De Linares 
2. Mi Inspiracion 
3. Guajiras De Lucia 
4. Mantilla De Feria 
5. El Tempul	 
6. Panaderos Flamencos 
7. Generalife Bajo La Luna 
8. Fiesta En Moguer 
9. Lamento Minero

Paco de Lucía – Flamenco guitar

This is a guitar only recording and an opportunity to hear Paco prior to his jazz and latin influences. Paco was around twenty years old when this was made (1969) and his early virtuosity and incredable creativity at the Flamenco guitar is quite evident here. Also pieces that have become some of Paco's hallmarks are on ths recording. Such as "Guajiras de Lucia" and "Panaderos Flamencos". This c.d. will be a valued addition to your collection. Also recommended "La Fabulosa Guitarra De Paco De Lucia". ---R. Webb, amazon.com

download: uploaded yandex 4shared mediafire solidfiles mega filecloudio nornar ziddu

back

1. Entre dos aguas (Rumba) (6:01)
2. Aires choqueros (Fandangos de Huelva) (4:16)
3. Reflejo de luna (Granaína) (3:54)
4. Solera (Bulerías por soleá) (3:43)
5. Fuente y caudal (Tarantas) (5:13)
6. Cepa andaluza (Bulerías) (5:48)
7. Los Pinares (Tangos) (3:35)
8. Plaza de San Juan (Alegrías) (3:11)

Paco de Lucía - Flamenco guitar
Ramón de Algeciras - Flamenco guitar

By the time "FUENTE Y CAUDAL" was released in 1973, 25 year old Paco de Lucia was clearly acknowledged as the world's premier flamenco guitarist, a position not relinquished in the 30 years that have followed. The album could also be regarded quite fairly as Paco's first truly great recording.

"FUENTE Y CAUDAL" is most renowned for the opening "rumba" titled "Entre Dos Aguas". This is the tune that transformed Paco from a flamenco hero to a ( Spanish ) national hero, its intense and expressive character a unique inspiration ( far from the "light" rumba flamenca that had been played before ) that influenced countless numbers of flamenco musicians. For the first time on record, Paco plays in an ensemble ( 2nd guitar, electric bass and congas ) that was at that time unusual in flamenco music. True to the (actually double) meaning in its title, "Entre Dos Aguas" has roots in two different but nonetheless compatible musical realms.

The remainder of the album is wonderful but more traditional, consisting either of solo pieces or those using conventional accompaniment. Two cuts in particular stand out. "Fuente Y Caudal" ( a piece in the "taranta" form ) is dark and mournful, one of Paco's most profound creations ( it never fails to send chills up the spine ). The other standout is "Cepa Andaluza", in the "buleria" style which Paco himself has described as the most complex and characteristic flamenco form. "Cepa Andaluza" is explosive, as Paco plays with volcanic energy accompanied "por fiesta" by flamencos using "palmas" and "jaleos" ( handclaps and shouts of encouragement ). This cut practically jumps out of the speaker!

One can explain Paco de Lucia's legendary status by pointing out specifics:
1) Phenomenal technical proficiency ( lightning "picado" scales, ferocious "rasgueado" and "pulgado" strumming, fluid left hand chord positioning and a flawless sense of rhythm )
2) Compositional talent ( longer stretches of melody, new chordal progressions that still sound "flamenco" )
3) An adventurous spirit ( collaborating with jazz musicians; investigating Brazilian music )
4) A wise and contemplative nature ( coupled with intense love and zeal for flamenco music and culture )

But a more basic, earthy and truly "flamenco" explanation would simply point out that Paco possesses an abundance of "duende"; the ability to summon up the profound and seemingly inexpressible and communicate it to others. There are quite a few moments of Paco's "duende" heard on "FUENTE Y CAUDAL", which is unreservedly recommended to all lovers of great music. ---Ian K. Hughes, amazon.com

download: uploaded yandex 4shared mediafire solidfiles mega gett filecloudio nornar ziddu

back

01. Guajira Flamenca (Remastered 2014) 03:49
02. Anda Jaleo (Remastered 2014) 03:59
03. Impetu (Remastered 2014) 02:56
04. La Flor De La Canela (Instrumental/Remastered 2015) 02:30
05. La Zarzamora (Instrumental/Remastered 2015) 02:24
06. Panaderos Flamencos (Remastered 2014) 02:36
07. Aires De Linares (Remastered 2014) 06:02
08. Y Tu No Me Respondias (Remastered 2014) 03:57
09. Malaguena De Lecuona (Remastered 2014) 04:32
10. Rumba Improvisada (Remastered 2014) 04:06
11. Se Murio Mi Madre (Remastered 2015) 03:09
12. Percusion Flamenca (Instrumental Remastered 2015) 03:40
13. Entre Dos Aguas (Remastered 2014) 06:01
14. Fuente Y Caudal (Remastered 2014) 05:11
15. Granainas (En Vivo Desde El Teatro Real 1975/Remastered 2015) 05:54
16. Plaza Alta (Remastered 2014) 06:12
17. Rio Ancho (Instrumental/Remastered 2015) 04:26
18. Castro Marin (Instrumental/Remastered 2015) 04:10

Family-made biodoc of the recently deceased Spanish musician, directed by his son and written and produced by his daughter.

The death of Paco de Lucia early in 2014 at just 66 years of age left a huge gap in world music, taking the prodigiously gifted and creative guitarist while he was still a major creative force. Paco de Lucia: the Search was sadly the last of several documentaries to be made about him during his lifetime, so luckily it strikes just the right tone as a homage to the music and, to a lesser degree, to the man. The fact that it was directed, scripted and produced by his children lends the project an enjoyable air of relaxed intimacy, of a home movie, that befits its status as a final tribute. Via a variety of formats, de Lucia’s worldwide fan base should find what they’re looking for in The Search.

His son Curro Sanchez Varela’s approach is to shuttle back and forth between the chronological past and the present. In terms of the events, there’s little here that hasn’t already appeared in other documentaries, of which Jesus de Diego and Daniel Hernandez’s from 2002, which won multiple awards, is to the fore.

The life of the flamenco musician who looked more like David Carradine than any other -- wonderfully and tellingly, he once signed an autograph as Carradine for a Carradine fan -- is a feature film waiting to happen. Born into poverty in Andalucia, into a late 40s Spain in which flamenco musicians were considered to be the lowest of the social low, he was a taciturn child with, by his own admission, chubby thighs and a fat bottom: you had, as his brother Pepe explains, "to guess things" when he spoke.

Under the guidance of a disciplinarian father, he started playing when he was seven. The family moved to Madrid and from there to America and a 1962 appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show backing the good-looking, fast-footed and theatrical dancer El Greco: "gringos like the cliches about Spain", de Lucia tells us. His big solo break was a performance of La malaguena at LA’s Greek Theater, which luckily for us was recorded.

It’s a familiar story, and the footage of de Lucia’s breathtaking fingerwork is unfailingly wonderful, including material that has never been previously released. Colleagues from the various stages of his professional life reflect on various aspects of his music and his character: his perfectionism, his fabled insecurity when playing with John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell, because he couldn’t improvise jazz, and which manifested itself in terrible headaches and back pain; his perennial concerns (well-founded) about his rejection by the flamenco community. The focus is mainly on the professional, with sharp insights into musically complex genre of flamenco, though not so many as to be off-puttingly technical.

Aside from the music, the film is most engaging when de Lucia himself is the interviewee. At ease when being interviewed by his own family in a way that he often is not in interview footage, he seems to relive experiences as he tells them, still feeling embarrassment at the comically cheesy shots of a 70s attempt to make him a star, still marveling at the good fortune that united his career with that of the great singer Camaron de la Isla, and refreshingly frank: "I was left-wing”, he explains, “until I made my first two million pesetas." A picture emerges of a driven man: "They’ve put me on such a pedestal ," he confesses, "that if I fall below people’s expectations, I’m miserable."

Some of this is true, some of it is mythology. Some of it may be memories of memories, rather than memories of events, and not a word of criticism of him passes anyone’s lips except his own. Which is how it should be in a final tribute: Paco de Lucia died in Mexico of a heart attack in February 2014, two days before he was due to shoot the final scenes of The Search. --- Jonathan Holland, hollywoodreporter.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

yandex 4shared mega mediafire zalivalka cloudmailru uplea

back