Is Paco de Lucia getting a bit boring?

[bawi]

As a fan since the early '80s of Paco's music something profound strikes
me; I hardly listen to his latest releases!
I know that a million-seller like "Friday Night in San Fransisco" has
hardly anything to do with flamenco, bit I loved the albums recorded at
that time: Castro Marin and Solo Quiero Caminar. Sirico was a subtle
masterpiece (pity about the poorly mastered cd), Zyryab was a bit
patchy. But his last album was a bit of a bummer. Cositas Buenas is one
of the best recorded albums, but has little of the fire that I loved in
Paco's playing. I know: Paco can play a chord and a scale and it still
sounds fascinating, but he doesn't do much more than that...
I saw a recent live performance of his new group and I found myself
bored after five minutes!
What's going on?

[Uffe]

I totally agree.... Paco was, is and will be THE godfather of modern
flamenco guitar, but he is not the hottest thing around anymore. I
mostly listen to his older stuff these days - like the double/triple
cd with Fosforito - but prefer Vicente Amigo and so on. The intro for
the title theme on Cositas Buenas is very exquiste, but I the truth is
that Paco is just not so exciting anymore. He can still play like
hell, but to me it doesn't have the edge anymore. Saw a recent
performance from Germany (recorded from TV) and to me it is a bit too
smooth and jazzy. I'd love to just hear him play an old school bulería
with a good cantaor, some palmas and maybe a cajón...preferably in a
small smoky joint in a dodgy gitano neighbourhood ;-)

[bawi]

Post by Uffe
I totally agree.... Paco was, is and will be THE godfather of modern
flamenco guitar, but he is not the hottest thing around anymore. I
mostly listen to his older stuff these days - like the double/triple
cd with Fosforito - but prefer Vicente Amigo and so on. The intro for
the title theme on Cositas Buenas is very exquiste, but I the truth is
that Paco is just not so exciting anymore. He can still play like
hell, but to me it doesn't have the edge anymore. Saw a recent
performance from Germany (recorded from TV) and to me it is a bit too
smooth and jazzy. I'd love to just hear him play an old school bulería
with a good cantaor, some palmas and maybe a cajón...preferably in a
small smoky joint in a dodgy gitano neighbourhood ;-)

Looking back on the Paco-albums I have, these are my favourites:

1. Castro Marin; maybe because it's the first Paco-album I bought after
seeing the Guitar Trio live. Especially the 'A'-side is one of the best
performances sound-wise, the Bulerias is one of the most exciting ones.
2. Solo Quiero Caminar; the first time I heard an electric bass in
flamenco-(like-)music. Two nice rumbas. Cracking band.
3. Plays Manuel the Falla; Paco shows he can play melodies like no-one
else, pity he didn't make more albums like this.
4. Soundtrack of the 'Hit'; never released as a CD! Pity! Very dark and
full of atmosphere.
5. Siroco: Paco's best playing but the cd seems to be poorly mastered

They're all from '80-'87!

[Piet Vermazeren]

From Paco's solowork "Fuente y caudal" ('73) and "Almoraima" ('76) are my
definite favorites.
Regards,
Piet

Post by bawi

Post by Uffe
I totally agree.... Paco was, is and will be THE godfather of modern
flamenco guitar, but he is not the hottest thing around anymore. I
mostly listen to his older stuff these days - like the double/triple
cd with Fosforito - but prefer Vicente Amigo and so on. The intro for
the title theme on Cositas Buenas is very exquiste, but I the truth is
that Paco is just not so exciting anymore. He can still play like
hell, but to me it doesn't have the edge anymore. Saw a recent
performance from Germany (recorded from TV) and to me it is a bit too
smooth and jazzy. I'd love to just hear him play an old school bulería
with a good cantaor, some palmas and maybe a cajón...preferably in a
small smoky joint in a dodgy gitano neighbourhood ;-)

1. Castro Marin; maybe because it's the first Paco-album I bought after
seeing the Guitar Trio live. Especially the 'A'-side is one of the best
performances sound-wise, the Bulerias is one of the most exciting ones.
2. Solo Quiero Caminar; the first time I heard an electric bass in
flamenco-(like-)music. Two nice rumbas. Cracking band.
3. Plays Manuel the Falla; Paco shows he can play melodies like no-one
else, pity he didn't make more albums like this.
4. Soundtrack of the 'Hit'; never released as a CD! Pity! Very dark and
full of atmosphere.
5. Siroco: Paco's best playing but the cd seems to be poorly mastered
They're all from '80-'87!

[MattC]

Although I havn't heard all of Paco's older albums, I have to say my
favourite album of his is definitely 'Luzia'. I think the images and
moods he evokes with that album is nothing short of amazing, and I
believe that is his second newest album.

I agree that Cositas Buenas isn't anything special, but perhaps our
continuous expectations for him to outdo all his previous efforts and
create something exciting and unique have gone too far...

I personally think he might be stuck in a bit of a dilemma - does he
continue to further revolutionize and develop flamenco, thereby taking
flamenco possibly a bit too far away from its purity and roots (but to
the applause of the young generation of flamenco fans), or slow down
and decide to stop being at the 'edge' of flamenco, at the risk of
accusations he has lost his fire?
I'm sure there is a lot more to what Paco is doing (or not doing) than
any of us know about, and I think it isn't fair to expect him to
constantly be at the forefront of flamenco development, something I
think may lead to the ultimate loss of pure/traditional flamenco...

[Uffe]

I agree on that.. we should not expect him to be cutting edge on every
new album - and I too think that you can take flamenco TOO far away
from its roots. I mean, flamenco-jazz and fusions with pop, latin
music and so on can be VERY good music, but no matter how you percieve
flamenco some quintessential flamenco elements will be lost...

[bawi]

Post by MattC
Although I havn't heard all of Paco's older albums, I have to say my
favourite album of his is definitely 'Luzia'. I think the images and
moods he evokes with that album is nothing short of amazing, and I
believe that is his second newest album.
I agree that Cositas Buenas isn't anything special, but perhaps our
continuous expectations for him to outdo all his previous efforts and
create something exciting and unique have gone too far...
I personally think he might be stuck in a bit of a dilemma - does he
continue to further revolutionize and develop flamenco, thereby taking
flamenco possibly a bit too far away from its purity and roots (but to
the applause of the young generation of flamenco fans), or slow down
and decide to stop being at the 'edge' of flamenco, at the risk of
accusations he has lost his fire?
I'm sure there is a lot more to what Paco is doing (or not doing) than
any of us know about, and I think it isn't fair to expect him to
constantly be at the forefront of flamenco development, something I
think may lead to the ultimate loss of pure/traditional flamenco...

You're right in many (but maybe not all) ways. He could have become a
session-like guest-player on many jazz-albums. (Some of his guest
appearences are quite good; listen to the first two tracks on Chick
Corea's Touchstone!). He didn't do that and that's great!
I still think he is the greatest guitar-player in the world, but his
music seems to have lost some 'directness' that I loved, especially his
live-solo performances were great (try the 'Live in America'-album). His
'Cositas'album is a busy and unclear affair and he seems to go a
direction that's already been covered by Vicente Amigo and Tomatito.

And I'd like to see him cooperate with the great bassist Renaud
Garcia-Fons!

[Antony]

Check out Paco's first cd - La Fabulosa Guitarra de Paco de Lucia - this is
still one of my favourites. Paco was only about 18 here! He also did an EP
when he was 16!

Post by bawi

Post by Uffe
I totally agree.... Paco was, is and will be THE godfather of modern
flamenco guitar, but he is not the hottest thing around anymore. I
mostly listen to his older stuff these days - like the double/triple
cd with Fosforito - but prefer Vicente Amigo and so on. The intro for
the title theme on Cositas Buenas is very exquiste, but I the truth is
that Paco is just not so exciting anymore. He can still play like
hell, but to me it doesn't have the edge anymore. Saw a recent
performance from Germany (recorded from TV) and to me it is a bit too
smooth and jazzy. I'd love to just hear him play an old school bulería
with a good cantaor, some palmas and maybe a cajón...preferably in a
small smoky joint in a dodgy gitano neighbourhood ;-)

1. Castro Marin; maybe because it's the first Paco-album I bought after
seeing the Guitar Trio live. Especially the 'A'-side is one of the best
performances sound-wise, the Bulerias is one of the most exciting ones.
2. Solo Quiero Caminar; the first time I heard an electric bass in
flamenco-(like-)music. Two nice rumbas. Cracking band.
3. Plays Manuel the Falla; Paco shows he can play melodies like no-one
else, pity he didn't make more albums like this.
4. Soundtrack of the 'Hit'; never released as a CD! Pity! Very dark and
full of atmosphere.
5. Siroco: Paco's best playing but the cd seems to be poorly mastered
They're all from '80-'87!

[Uffe]

Yeah.. "La Fabulosa Guitarra de PdC" is great.. there is an awesome
fandangos on it... coplete with castanets and all :-)

[bawi]

Post by Uffe
Yeah.. "La Fabulosa Guitarra de PdC" is great.. there is an awesome
fandangos on it... coplete with castanets and all :-)

His early work is fine flamenco, I guess, VERY fast playing. I love the
more mature sound from Almoraima onwards, when the balance between
virtuosity and the 'feel' (duende?) is perfect. The best example of that
is the minera on Siroco!