“Festival Flamenco”
Camarón de la Isla, L. and Paco de Lucía, R.
by Aguijarro (Antonio Guijarro Morales)
[Wiki Media]
I remember when I first heard Paco de Lucía play his guitar because it was the day I almost killed my kids.
It was in 1981 and we were living in Portland, Oregon. My daughter, D, was 7 and my son, M, was 2. We were headed to one of our zillions of appointments: a doctor’s check-up, a karate class, a play group. I can’t remember which, but I do know we were late and I was driving fast and things were a tad stressful. The kiddies were strapped into their car seats, entertaining each other with “Eensy Weensy Spider, I’m fairly certain, singing loud enough to blow the roof off the Volvo. I was getting a headache and to calm things down a click I turned on public radio and this is what I heard. “Mediterranean Sundance and Rio Ancho” (Sorry about the short ad!)
BAM! I was knocked off my motherly state of equilibrium by that piece! It was musical magic for me: so fast, so beautiful, so, so…well, I didn’t know what. I was so derailed that I forgot what I was doing, including looking out for the traffic signal which was just then turning RED!
I slammed on the brakes at the last second, just missing a head on with guy who’d been waiting in the intersection thinking he was good to go. The kids screamed, maybe I did, too, and they would’ve been shot right out of their seats if they hadn’t been buckled up. They cried, my God how they cried!
When the light changed I inched through the intersection, then pulled over to the side of the road to catch my breath. And that’s when I heard the announcer say, “That was John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucía from their new album “Friday Night in San Francisco.” That was the beginning of my love affair with all things Paco, and by extension flamenco. D and M, my darlings, of course forgave me, but they still remember the moment Mama discovered Paco, and they’re not bloody likely to forget.
Here’s a link to “Entre Dos Aguas” (Between Two Rivers) that shows Paco in 1976 when he was very young. And here’s one more to a festival from July of last year that includes a handsome bailaor. Lastly, there’s a clip from the movie, Flamenco, Flamenco, of Paco and friends performing “La Bulería por Solea.”
(Wiki Media)
May You Rest in Peace Paco de Lucía!
December 21, 1947, Algeciras, Spain
February 26, 2014, Cancún, Mexico
Now you will play for the angels!
Still Life with Tortillas 
Susissima, I am now in love too! I have loved flamenco for a very long time, but this is gorgeous! Your story reminded me of Finding Sugarman; I’m sure you’ve seen it, but if you haven’t, you MUST! You will love it! Now, I am dancing… while I make dinner. I’m sure you can visualize that! 😉 Time for lunch soon mi amore~ xo
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PS) I’m beginning to have a knack for the “ps”… have you heard Rodrigo and Gabriela? Just amazingly fun music!
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PSs are great. R and G, as in Stairway to Heaven, etc.? You betcha chica. They’re from Mexico! XO
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Figured that one you’d know… Em introduced me to them, and I saw them live at Bumbershoot. Watching their guitars and hands on the large screen was electric!!
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Yes, I can definitely see you swirling, clapping, singing out with wild abandon. So happy that you are in love with Paco, too. I’ve been queasy most of the day just thinking about the absolute impermanence of those we love.
Anyhow, no, I have no idea what Finding Sugarman is, but I will search. Thank you.
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It is a documentary, and it will knock you off your seat! You and R must watch it… MUST.
Queasy… no! I try not to think about that one; it always undoes me. See, now I’m thinking… ah! I will go back to dancing! 😉 xox
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I’ll find it. Thanks, Dawn.
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Okay–this one just makes me think you must have a million killer stories inside you, all winding up just like that–ready to penetrate or be penetrated by the next cataclysm—or that passing of a wave–a wave as glorious as Paco’s, or as miraculous as the oxygen which gave itself up on behalf of this crazy, beautiful tribute.
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I love the sound of that, dawg, and thanks. You made my day!
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Sad to hear of his passing. We listen to his music while cooking. SD
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Paco and food go really well together! I love knowing that you are cooking to his music! Thanks for your comment, Sandra.
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🙂 SD
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Espana and the world will not be the same. ❤ R.
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So true, so true. ❤
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