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This is great. I read that you and Brook Zern took this in hand and accomplished it by personally petitioning the Spanish postal service. That was quite awesome.
This is great. I read that you and Brook Zern took this in hand and accomplished it by personally petitioning the Spanish postal service. That was quite awesome.
Following instructions from the Spanish Postal Service about how to request a stamp for Paco, Brook Zern and I wrote a formal petition which we sent to the Comisión Filatélica del Estado. After a time I received official notification and a telephone call from the Subdirección General del Régimen Postal that the request would be granted taking advantage of the fact that a stamp in honor of the Spanish guitar was already scheduled to come out in April (normally the entire process would have taken up to a year). The stamp was hastily redesigned to include Paco’s name and image, and we’re delighted with the result.
Only today did I discover that a philatelic society made a similar request, although the confirmation I received from the authorities had made no mention of this. I can only assume the duplicate petition made a strong case for the stamp…it’s too bad bureaucracy doesn’t always work so quickly.
They'll be available at all post offices, but they're expecting a large demand initially. However, the stamp has been designated "unilimited issue", so they should be available for a long time.
from time to time I read Faustino's blog and it amaze me how he manages to focus on the fact that Flamenco is highly depreciated by media, elite, govt and such in Spain. Now I see this stamp. Obviously, great work. Good to have it. But WTF!! Guitarra Espanola??
Thanks Faustino to pointing things out!
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"The most important part of Flamenco is not in knowing how to interpret it. The higher art is in knowing how to listen." (Luis Agujetas)
Now I see this stamp. Obviously, great work. Good to have it. But WTF!! Guitarra Espanola??
No. Total innocence on the part of the authorities, they rose admirably to the occasion.
The official phone call I received confirming the favorable response to our request...I will never forget it...went like this (translated): ---------------------------------------- "Madam, we are very pleased to inform you that your request that a postage stamp be issued in honor of Paco de Lucía, has been granted. In actual fact, you have been very lucky...oh, I'm terribly sorry, please forgive me, obviously the loss of this man was a terrible tragedy...but I mean "lucky" within the circumstances. The European Philatelic Commission obliges member countries to issue certain series of stamps periodically. Right now we're issuing a series in honor of musical instruments, and by sheer coincidence, April was to have represented the "Guitarra Española". In response to your petition, the philatelic authorities called a meeting and resolved to alter the design of the stamp to include the name and image of Paco de Lucía, because the alternative would be a one-year delay until new issues are decided upon." ----------------------------------------
So by European law, the stamp had to include the words "Guitarra Española". A one-year delay would not have been a positive thing, and who knows, by then the emotion might have worn off a bit and the resolution might not have passed.
So by European law, the stamp had to include the words "Guitarra Española".
So once again, Europe tiene la culpa.
Contextualization made it clear. I was on a biased interpretation. Maybe I'm too picky, but I first saw Paco's face and said, wow nice. Then my eyes deported to left and read Spanish Guitar. Ouchhh!! that's suk. Sorry but something sounds wrong in that. Like I said, this stamp is a good thing. The timming and all the efforts you made... Fact is I can't feel it otherwise, something hurts me. This adjective is disrespectful
European election coming soon. I'm gonna punish with my vote
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"The most important part of Flamenco is not in knowing how to interpret it. The higher art is in knowing how to listen." (Luis Agujetas)
So once again, Europe tiene la culpa. [...] Fact is I can't feel it otherwise, something hurts me. This adjective is a lack of respect
You have to understand the context. A list of musical instruments to be highlighted was drawn up long ago, long before Paco left us, and written into law ("BOE", boletín oficial del estado)...violin, piano, cello, etc...and "Spanish guitar" was included to distinguish from electric guitar. "Acoustic guitar" would have been more accurate, but the general public would not understand the term, and "Flamenco guitar" did not fit the broad classification.
quick question--who chose the photo? i noticed the stamp has paco playing what appears to be his line of guitars and not a conde--at least not a media luna conde.
nice job zata getting a stamp--and in record time. here in the usa it take a long time if ever.
They made poor Paco look like Charles Bukowski with a guitar, but I'm getting over it.
Aw, I thought it was a great choice...it's an exact reproduction of a photo...couldn't locate the original, but it's clearly from this shoot (notice identical left hand). He's clearly no longer a kid, but not looking as rough around the edges as in recent years.
I had feared they would show him in that tacky striped jacket from the "Entre dos Aguas" era, or with the long overcoat from "Cositas Buenas", looking like the director of a funeral home.
One person wrote me privately that with the ethereal lighting he looks like Jesus Christ...
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It is a great choice. Everything about this is truly great. It's magnificent. All I can do is to offer my most sincere and heartfelt congratulations and thanks to those who made it happen.
I read some weeks ago that there is a plan to name a subway station after Paco in the northern wastelands of suburban Madrid, which to my mind is hardly an honour.
But this is great - and 'unlimited issue' - as it should be. Well done Zata and Brook - ¡Enhorabuena!
I read some weeks ago that there is a plan to name a subway station after Paco in the northern wastelands of suburban Madrid, which to my mind is hardly an honour.
It amazes me how little Spain seems to actually appreciate it´s art of flamenco. While to me there appears none of its culture product more prominent than that, including Goya, Dali and Gaudi.
You have to understand the context. A list of musical instruments to be highlighted was drawn up long ago, long before Paco left us, and written into law ("BOE", boletín oficial del estado)...violin, piano, cello, etc...and "Spanish guitar" was included to distinguish from electric guitar.
Curiously, do you know if any other guitarists are featured under the category of "Spanish guitar"? Or is it just Paco?
Curiously, do you know if any other guitarists are featured under the category of "Spanish guitar"? Or is it just Paco?
Surprisingly, there's a very rigid system surrounding the whole stamp thing. It was explained to me that Spain is under the legal obligation of periodically issuing series of stamps, in this case, highlighting musical instruments. Other series are devoted to food, museums, sports, etc. It's not a series honoring musicians, but rather instruments, and there is one stamp per instrument.
So it really was a stroke of luck...some might say heavenly intervention...not only that April was already slated to feature the Spanish guitar, but that the commission saw fit to get Paco's name and image on the stamp at the last minute. Other instruments in the series are depicted with no interpreter.
Everyone realized Paco was very special, even postal workers and bureaucrats.
You have to think that a bureaucrat went home at night opened a bottle of wine and looked at the records on the shelf as away of forgetting the bureaucratic world he endured that day. He picked out Paco's record put on, and traveled into a few minutes of heaven.
Then Zata wrote him a said please make a Paco postage stamp. The man says with pleasure and sadness.
Everyone knew Paco. I have poet friend who went on a Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage bus ride from San Sebastian to Santiago. This was back in the days of mix tapes where you gave a friend a special cassette tape you mixed for them from your album collection. This Santiago tape had Paco and Camaron mostly....well they played it much of the way. My friend gave it to the bus driver and he popped in in the cassette player of the bus.
My friend wrote me after the trip and said the music of Paco and Camaron brought the whole group together and they journeyed on this pilgrimage to Paco. It does not surprise me a government office recognized they better move and make this stamp for Paco. His music changed peoples lives and everyone knows it.
Good on you Zata for prompting this with Brook. ( as the Aussies say)
You have to think that a bureaucrat went home at night opened a bottle of wine and looked at the records on the shelf as away of forgetting the bureaucratic world he endured that day. He picked out Paco's record put on, and traveled into a few minutes of heaven.
I love this little scenario...it left me in a puddle of tears.
I feel it's great, that Paco was chosen to represent the "Guitarra Española"! After all, the guitarra flamenco IS a guitar española. And, isn't it great, that Paco's on the stamp, rather than Segovia?
isn't it great, that Paco's on the stamp, rather than Segovia?
Segovia was never in the running. The design of the stamp had already been finalized and it only showed the image of an acoustic guitar.
That's what's so impressive, that these stodgy bureaucrats were flexible enough to permit the image of a person on the stamp.
By contrast, the Festival de Jerez, during which Paco left us, did not see fit to do one single thing for Paco, not even a mention, although many of the performing artists offered their own personal tribute. Mostly I remember the evening of guitarist Antonio Rey's recital. At the beginning of the concert he walked on stage alone with his guitar and stood motionless and in total silence under an overhead spot for several minutes. No word was spoken, but people in the audience bowed their heads and many were sobbing.
Joaquín Grilo also found a tasteful way to honor Paco, ending his show with this moving tableau....
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