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I appreciate the fraction who conserves flamenco and sorts its categories.
Yet, have always been convinced that well done merge of flamenco ( or just flamenco technique ) with rock should come out terrific. Unfortunately, however there seems to have occured not too much of such ( yep, I know of and own the album of that discrete "fusion" project of Sabicas & Jeff Beck, but that won´t do it ) to date.
Besides of a couple of pop pieces that contain sequences of nice Spanish guitar playing.
The most remarkable of them all, to my taste, being the old Santa Esmeralda version of "Don´t Let Me Be Misunderstood". Sure, it used to be disco music, which I normally can´t stand; with cheezy lyrics and corresponding plastic presence on stage.
But the guitar part in there to me presents one of the most perfect and groovy playing ever. With the player not only rocking along so fascinatingly seamless, but with perfect phrasing and ideal touch to the strings.
Weird how he seemd to have been engaged only for the studio tracking, and while contributing the heart of that piece of music, has never been seen on stage with the act.
More curious even how this one contribution seems to have remained almost all of his public career. Apparently he has only released one album ( that I would be so curious to know what it contained musically ) which is not available anymore, and written one book of notated music.
That seems all there is, and strangly noone seems to have ever cared either. Not even on guitar forums have I ever seen anyone asking about him. Which again is why I want to ask around whether you have something to tell on the whereabouts of a guitarist named José Souc.
I find it extremely bewildering how there was so little to be heard of him ... Whether he died early, or whatever the cause has been. Whatever detail you could tell about his life as a musician; I would be eager to hear about it.
Thank you,
Ruphus
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RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to Ruphus)
No replies ...
I was hoping someone over here might be knowing something about this musician. As it does not appear to be so, José Souc seems to have surfaced out of nowhere indeed, contributing exceptional artistry for a historical blink, only to disappear again from public earth.
Such a proficiency without fellow people even taken immediate notice ... -
Another example of how relevant marketing strategies are to unpredictable common sense.
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to Ruphus)
Hey!! I´m glad to hear that! So, at least we are two now.
Maybe if the one ore other gets to hear that ol´S.E. version again and pulled in, he might join us wonderers, and possibly at a time we might be hearing of someone familiar with Souc.
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Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to Ruphus)
quote:
yet, have always been convinced that well done merge of flamenco ( or just flamenco technique ) with rock should come out terrific. Unfortunately, however there seems to have occured not too much of such
What about this kind of thing , does this work for you /
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to Ruphus)
That goes into the direction that I mean!
Hello Rico,
Yes that kind of thing works for me. Should that be you: Nice technique, without excessive strain! Wonderful; make more pieces! Cool!
Hi Ron,
Thanks for the link! These guys rock the house damn virtuously. Wow I´ll be asking a friend whether he can download for me some pieces like "Istvan The Hungarian", "Spill The Blood", "In My Darkest Hour" etc. And "The Elder" would be fantastic if with either tonal vocals or as just instrumental!
I quite apprecaite Black Sabbath or Omega, but never understood the toneless and downright ugly, totally unmusical screaming that came afterwards with Heavy Metal. Cracking diaphragms are not for me.
If me could chose I would be after percussions and drums that came in more sparce, accentuating the whole thing. And gladly a tad behind the beat; really loved if laid back.
Seeking either flair in the sparce way of David Gilmour ( for heavy terms ) or of J.J. Cale ( for utmost in respect of groove ).
Glad to have been shown some nice stuff, nonetheless.
Thanks a bunch!
Ruphus
PS:
quote:
He is a real flamenco player playing rock, rather than a rock player trying to copy Flamenco stuff.
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to Ruphus)
Rufus,
I am Brazilian and I have also sought the whereabouts of Jose Souc. And, like you, have not had much success in finding truly interesting facts.
I have found a few materials on this guitar.
- Another record with their participation (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jose-SOUC-Andre-CECCARELLI-BRASS-GUITARS-LP-French-LIBRARY-/320960803760) - A profile in a very intriguing French site search - [URL edited by Admin as too long and leads to a 404 page not found] - A photo that known, perhaps, show his face. But it may be the other guitarist Santa Esmeralda, Slim Pezin. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jimmy_Goings_with_Santa_Esmeralda.jpg)
Well, that's the most. I registered on this forum just to answer it.
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to abilio)
Hey Abilio,
I never realized your reply! I am sorry! Hope you log in here still. :O)
I only thought to revive this thread as there seem to have added some examples of his on the internet, like one of his pieces on facebook ( which I can´t see ) and the following from his album on YT ( which I can´t access ):
If any of you visit these I would be interested to hear how you find the music to be.
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to Ruphus)
I'll withhold judgment on this 'flametal' outfit, but Jose Souc kicks ass! Pity his stuff isn't more readily available. I don't know if I would consider his trio 'flamenco', but I'll let the purists sort it out.
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to Ruphus)
Hi Chester,
So the link worked and you liked it?
That makes me even more curious about it. All I know is that who played that guitar in "Don´t let me be misunderstood" MUST have a lot to offer. It is weird how there is so little of him to be found, not even a vita that could explain.
It is not even clear whether his venyl ever got digitized, so that I could find a CD or download it as Flac.
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to Ruphus)
Hello Ruphus,
I read your original post some time ago, and was glad to see you (as well as some others) are also intrigued by José Souc's guitar playing. He is indeed an amazing player, as can be heard in that early piece off his album (Ambiance).
José is an amazing guitarist, and he not only played the nylon/flamenco guitar parts in Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood but also on the second and additional albums and in particular, the tune House of the Rising Sun. If you listen to the following track note the solo from roughly 5:20 through to 7:10 (along with the intro and other Spanish guitar pieces), are played by José Souc.
There is no doubt he is a very interesting, versatile and immensely skilled player. Heck that whole French studio musicians circle of the time was incredible, including Don Ray and Jean Claude Petite who were responsible for the amazing orchestration and arrangements.
Current information about José's musical career though is very limited, but from what I have been able to gather over the years, he was/is one of the top guitar studio session players in France. He worked during the late 70s on the Santa Esmeralda project, but can also be heard on various other projects since. For example, he is credited on Nana Mouskouri's Recuerdo's Vol.2 album, and much of the Latin/Spanish guitar playing on the tracks resembles his style. Here's a sample:
Truly one of France's best ever guitarists in my opinion. I have no idea of his present status, but like many other low profile studio players he probably enjoys his privacy and not being in the spotlight. There are many amazing studio musicians out there that we have heard playing on popular and even obscure albums, but who aren't necessarily well known or have a lot of information online (perhaps not until recent times). Take for example Louie Shelton, an amazing studio guitarist who played the guitar solo in The Monkees' "Valleri" right through to the guitar solo in Lionel Richie's "Hello" tune and the guitar pieces in the Jackson 5's, "I Want You Back."
Good to have started a thread like this, and hopefully if anyone comes across any information on other José works they can post here.
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to abilio)
quote:
A photo that known, perhaps, show his face. But it may be the other guitarist Santa Esmeralda, Slim Pezin. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jimmy_Goings_with_Santa_Esmeralda.jpg)
The name of the guitarist in this photo is Mick Valentino. He was the nylon string guitar player for Santa Esmeralda's touring band which featured Jimmy Goings.
RE: Wanted! José Souc, Dead or Aliv... (in reply to Ruphus)
Hello Quasiloco,
Thanks a bunch for presenting those tracks! Listening to them I thought Sanat Esmeralda could have been a bit more demanding with that makeup of House Of The Rising Sun, but José´s playing in there goes without words.
But I was even more touched hearing his romatic part on that Nana Mouskouri song. Hadn´t thought I could be attract by a make of hers, but this one I really liked. And again; what a guitar playing!
Studio guitars are secret heros. I admire them ever since with their proficiency and versatility.
When wondering why such talents will only rarely gig on their own bill ( Toto I think were all studio musisicans, weren´t they), one could suspect that maybe some are not so well with writing music. But when I hear José Soucs playing I can´t think of him lacking inspiration.
I am certain that the producers didn´t need to describe to him in length first what his parts could be going like.
... Who knows maybe he had a family life he enjoyed too much for to be a gigging musician, while mabye his studio jobs earned him enough in the same time. Such or any of a many other possible personal reasons.
Thanks again for pointing to the songs. I enjoyed it a lot, specially the second example.
Ruphus
PS: There seems no little of flamenco / Spanish guitar artistry in France.
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Cracking diaphragms are not for me. 
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