The godfather of modern flamenco
In a lengthy career that has yielded 25 albums to date, Paco de Lucia, back in Greece for two shows, has established himself as a progressive flamenco guitarist who has added further dimension and detail to the style’s tradition. «I never distanced myself from the roots of my music because, had I done that, I’d lose myself. What I’ve tried to do is touch tradition with one hand and dig into other territories with the other in an attempt to discover new aspects that can be added to flamenco,» noted the Spanish guitarist, who played at the capital’s Lycabettus Theater last night and performs a second show tomorrow in Thessaloniki at the Gis Theater. Before de Lucia came on the scene, flamenco music was widely regarded as a musical style that accompanied dancers. The celebrated Spanish guitarist expanded the music’s reach further and even modernized the style’s instrumentation. De Lucia’s prolific output has earned him many awards and generated international fame. The Spaniard recorded his first album, «Dos Guitarras Flamencas,» in 1965, an outing that stuck firmly to tradition. A decade later, he began introducing improvisation into his work, as was highlighted on 1975’s «Fuente y Caudal» album. By this stage, flamenco guitar, previously a marginalized style, had developed into an international phenomenon. De Lucia’s role was instrumental, and there is no doubt that his enormous contribution has assured him a place in musical history. Following a five-year break from recordings, de Lucia’s most recent album, «Cositas Buenas,» a very well-received effort, was released in 2004.
