The obligatory Paco in SF thread

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

chester

Posts: 891
Joined: Oct. 29 2010

The obligatory Paco in SF thread

Paco must be reading the posts here because I recognized a ton of falsetas.

The first piece was him solo, going through what seemed like his entire 'greatest hits' catalogue. Really awesome to see all those great falsetas played live.

What I noticed about his playing is that his regular playing was pretty soft. At first it's noticeable but after a minute or two the ears adjust and the volume is just right. The fact that he gets you used to a soft sound allows him to really bring up the volume when he wants to.

I'll let other San Franciscians share their experience but I will say that the harmonica/synth player was an amazing musician.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 29 2012 1:19:25

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: The obligatory Paco in SF thread (in reply to chester)

I'll be seeing him in two days. Can't wait.

_____________________________

Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 29 2012 2:05:39

vigrond

Posts: 161
Joined: Nov. 30 2010

RE: The obligatory Paco in SF thread (in reply to chester)

I enjoyed that first solo quite a bit, it was purely awesome.

I thought Farru owned it though, I've never seen feet work like that.

Hermonica was awesome ( António Serrano ), especially in Zyryab. That was one of my favs.

Duquende and David de Jacoba, so much energy.

Was a great show!

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 29 2012 2:09:34

elroby

Posts: 142
Joined: Mar. 25 2007

[Deleted]

Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at May 5 2012 3:58:19

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 29 2012 6:56:32

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: The obligatory Paco in SF thread (in reply to chester)

quote:

Paco must be reading the posts here because I recognized a ton of falsetas.

How does that relate to Paco reading the foro?

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 29 2012 11:07:08

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: The obligatory Paco in SF thread (in reply to chester)

So did he actually play flamenco or was it this new age/jazz/fusion thing again?

_____________________________

Фламенко

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 29 2012 11:55:44

BarkellWH

Posts: 3458
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC

RE: The obligatory Paco in SF thread (in reply to chester)

quote:

I will say that the harmonica/synth player was an amazing musician.

I completely agree, Chester. As I stated in my original review of Paco's performance in Washington, DC, "The harmonica player really put his soul into it." That my taste in flamenco does not include harmonicas and other non-traditional instruments (an observation that created chagrin among some foro members), does not diminish the great music produced by Paco's harmonica player. His performance added to an overall great musical performance by all members of Paco's group, whether one considered it one's taste in flamenco or not.

Cheers,

Bill

_____________________________

And the end of the fight is a tombstone white,
With the name of the late deceased,
And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here,
Who tried to hustle the East."

--Rudyard Kipling

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 29 2012 17:51:46

chester

Posts: 891
Joined: Oct. 29 2010

RE: The obligatory Paco in SF thread (in reply to chester)

Doit - people here were complaining that Paco wasn't playing their favorite material.

Deniz - some tunes were more on the flamenco-light side but I don't think anyone goes to a Paco concert expecting a puro singer & guitar show (well almost anyone)

Elroby - I agree with you regarding El Farru, but I do think that his excessive showmanship provided much-needed comic relief. I hear you on the Vicente show and would Like that that I would've enjoyed both shows a lot more if they had an intermission.

At the end of the day, seeing Paco live should be (and probably is) a goal for any flamenco lover, hell, music lover. I hold Paco in the same regard as someone like Miles Davis. Anything that comes out of that man is worth listening to.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 29 2012 18:05:03

paul.troutfisher

Posts: 161
Joined: Feb. 16 2011
From: Danville, CA

RE: The obligatory Paco in SF thread (in reply to chester)

Jumping in a bit late :)

I agree that the harmonica player was amazing. Expected fantastic guitar, and wasn't disappointed, but the harmonica was a surprise.

What stood out to a me was how incredibly close to the bridge Paco plays. Crap he must have nails of steel.

_____________________________

troutie

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2012 16:57:25

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: The obligatory Paco in SF thread (in reply to chester)

quote:

ORIGINAL: chester
Deniz - some tunes were more on the flamenco-light side but I don't think anyone goes to a Paco concert expecting a puro singer & guitar show (well almost anyone)

I was just joking of course, because of the recent discussions about Paco. About Paco and "only singer & guitar" kind of shows there is the rumor that he got upset about his performances with Camaron because the audience would give him more attention than Camaron, so he stopped doing these kind of shows.

_____________________________

Фламенко

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2012 19:20:19

turnermoran

Posts: 391
Joined: Feb. 6 2010

RE: The obligatory Paco in SF thread (in reply to chester)

Agreed most of the way around.

Antonio Serrano (harmonica) has links to Berklee College of Music (at least in Valencia Spain). Not sure if he is alumni, but there's a YouTube vid of him teaching Paco's compositions to young students at a Berklee workshop. IMO, he has a jazz-man's understanding of the music, with the flamenco background. His note choices on his solo in Zyryab were really creative. Beautiful. Jazz-like. And he is playing all the synth pads on keyboard that you hear on the records when required. That was kind of cool. I think Paco has him involved in the band's sound in the right proportion.

Personally, I feel like Antonio Sanchez struggled to play the 'call-and-response' 2 guitar section of Zyryab with the same fire as the original and the live recordings that followed from it. Not like it's easy (or I can play it at that tempo!), but that's the gig..isn't it? Otherwise, great.

Pirranha killed it. Had a wonderful percussion solo in the end of the show and swung all night long. Farru was rediculous. His head snaps were so fierce that it left a mist of water (or hair gel) like a halo each time. I think Paco caught some of the shrapnel once or twice. As mentioned, his foot work is crazy. A master of the drama. But I'm no baile aficionado. Hard not to be impressed though.

Duquende was terrific.
And for me, Paco was wonderful. I mean, what 64 year old (or however old he is now) has the same body as when he was 30. I wasn't disappointed in the least by his playing. and to be fair, it was my first time seeing him live. (so take all this with whatever that means for my review). He had a bulerias (3rd song) that eventually found it's way to Soniquete, and that was a thrill to hear him play it with such gusto after all these years.

I loved how the Bay Area represented though. Multiple standing ovations, screaming fans. I think the vibe was great and I think the band could feel it.

But between Paco, Vicente, and Diego Del Morao's show, I actually loved Diego's the best.
Someone gave me a bootleg of Vicente's show he did in SF from 5 years ago. I was surprised that the first half of the show this year was virtually the same as from 5 years ago. Not like Paco played much new material either..but I was hoping for something different. (he played some different material in the second half though).

Diego had a great mix of cante, guitar, and a great fim de festa that was super fun and loose. His show was such a surprise. I saw him the following night with Cigala, but preferred his own show. I attended 2 out of 3 of his workshops, and that was a treat too.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 3 2012 9:52:07