Adios Paco (Full Version)

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Pimientito -> Adios Paco (Mar. 1 2014 17:11:37)

The loss of Paco de Lucia this week has been a profound shock to the flamenco world. It was difficult initially to process the sudden news that Paco was no longer with us. It affected me personally in a way that I found unexpected...not because I knew Paco as a friend, but because he unknowingly influenced that path of my whole life, my desire to play flamenco guitar, my choice to move to Spain. Even my friends today are an indirect influence of Pacos life and work. To have had Paco de Lucia as a constant source of inspiration and someone to look to as leading flamenco in new directions has always been a comfort, a knowledge that somewhere in the background Paco was always there expanding the possibilities of the guitar. Since Paco died, this feeling has been ripped from me, and it seems I am not alone. The posts on this forum, the messages on Facebook, the conversations with anyone I know connected to guitar or Flamenco this week have shown that we are all connected by the huge feelings of loss and grief for the life and work of this maestro.

I had been staying in Granada for the Andalucia holiday but when I heard news of the funeral I decided to take a pilgrimage to Algeciras to pay my respects to Paco de Lucia. My intention with this post is to give a first hand account of the occasion and secondly to be hopefully of some comfort to those who could not be here and are struggling with coming to terms with their loss.

I awoke in Granada to a particularly cold and grey day. My journey to the coast was through a rain cloud that had blanketed most of Spain. Algeciras is a busy port town, almost the size of a city by Spanish standards. I arrived around midday and headed towards the town hall near the main plaza. A large 3 meter high photo of Paco had been placed next to the main entrance. There was already a large crowd and TV crews waiting outside the doors of the town hall and it was raining lightly. Almost immediately I bumped into a good friend of mine, a young gypsy player Niño Carmelo who came up and patted my back. “Today we all all orphans” he said. I agreed.

I noticed lots of familiar faces around me. Rafael Riqueni was waiting outside among the crowd. So were some of the Granada flamencos. I realised that this was no ordinary crowd. Half the flamenco world was here. Everyone was shuffling about and waiting until 1.00 for the cermony to start. At that moment some police came out of the town hall and made some space in front of the doors. A silence fell as Pacos coffin was raised shoulder high and came into the street. Someone shouted “Viva, Paco!” and the crowd shout back “ VIVA...VIVA...VIVA!!!” Then everyone started to clap which quickly turned into Bulerias compas. Pacos coffin was walked shoulder high down the street whilst the whole crowd lined on either side of the street clapped bulerias as noisily as possible. It was a very moving moment that made me shed a tear.

As the procession progressed down the street I got caught up with the crowd following behind and was accidentally led in front of the barriers so that I had no choice but to follow the procession and follow Pacos coffin towards the church. As I entered the Plaza Real there was a sea of people clapping and applauding. I was pushed forwards towards the church and at one point I though I would actually be pushed inside but the local police politely organised the crowd and made us wait outside. I bumped into another friend, Malaga guitarist Andres Cansino in the melee. He was visibly upset but pleased to see me. He gave me a hug and his eyes welled up with tears. “Our father is gone” he told me

The mass was long....over an hour and it was raining intermittently outside but everyone stood and waited patiently. Eventually the church bells rang and Pacos coffin was brought shoulder high out of the church and into a waiting silver Mercedes hearse covered in wreaths of white roses and lilies. A police escort and motorcade slowly drove away from the church and towards the cemetery.

The crowd was dispersing and I wanted to get out of the crowded square so I walked away from the crowd and took a back street until I knew I would be roughly in front of the funeral procession. As I turned into the main road I met unexpectedly with the motorcade. The police motorcylcles halted the procession and suddenly Pacos funeral car stopped exactly in front of me. The motorcade was now waiting for the crowd behind to catch up.......and for one brief and very surreal moment, I was almost alone in the street with nothing but Pacos coffin in front of me. I reached out and touched the car and said “Adios, Paco”. Within moments others had caught up and were crossing themselves, touching the car and saying goodbye, many people were openly sobbing in the street. People were taking photos and in my surprise I nearly forgot to take one of the car and coffin in front of me. It was a extremely poignant moment and I remember that I immediately felt happier after I had said goodbye to the man who unknowingly had changed my life.

Paco was laid to rest in the town cemetery and I guess they will build a fitting memorial for him in the next months. For all of us flamencos we will have to face a tomorrow without Paco de Lucia in the world and I think its going to be tough to face that gaping void, but we will never forget his music and his legacy....and that will mean that part of him will always stay alive within us.
Rest in peace Paco.
1st March 2014









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duende -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 1 2014 17:57:08)

Thank you for posting that.

It felt good and sad to read.
Paco de Lucia has been my guiding light since 1999 in any genre of music.
I realy feel a hole in my soul at the moment.

There can not and won´t been anybody else to take his place.




jamh2000 -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 1 2014 18:17:07)

A wonderful post, thanks for sharing with us.




Ruphus -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 1 2014 18:35:07)

Yes. Well described. Thank you for informing us.

Ruphus




Guest -> [Deleted] (Mar. 1 2014 19:05:59)

[Deleted by Admins]




mark indigo -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 1 2014 19:23:28)

thanks for posting this. I feel so sad and empty, I still can't really believe Paco is gone.




Erik van Goch -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 1 2014 20:39:03)

Thanks




gerundino63 -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 1 2014 20:41:33)

Thanks Pimientito,

The foto's and especially the eye witness report gives a bit a feeling if we were there with you.




FredGuitarraOle -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 1 2014 20:52:43)

Yes, thank you Pimientito for sharing this.





zata -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 1 2014 22:23:55)

quote:

My intention with this post is to give a first hand account of the occasion


Beautiful account Pimientito. Seeing your photo I remember seeing you this morning...wish I'd known, I would have said hello.




ToddK -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 5:37:26)

Thanks Pim!




Escribano -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 8:05:50)

Thanks for taking the time to describe a very emotional day. If I was still living in Spain, I would have made the trip to honour him.




orsonw -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 9:22:26)

Thank you.




machopicasso -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 10:58:41)

quote:

Someone shouted “Viva, Paco!” and the crowd shout back “ VIVA...VIVA...VIVA!!!” Then everyone started to clap which quickly turned into Bulerias compas.


Perfect! That's my favorite part.

Thanks so much for sharing this.




petlo99 -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 11:23:14)

greetings to the greatest... thank u paco




ricecrackerphoto -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 13:04:06)

Thank you for this




beno -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 14:40:33)

Thank You Pimientito!




Erik van Goch -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 14:44:51)





mrMagenta -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 15:25:32)

Mark, I too have to voice my gratitude. Thanks for sharing your experience. Like someone mentioned before, your writing brought this event closer to those of us who are very far from Algeciras.




gj Michelob -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 15:34:38)

And one more, thank you, Pimientito.




PeterLC -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 15:45:19)

Thank you very much for your first-hand report!




mark74 -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 2 2014 15:49:55)

thanks for sharing the photos and the experience . the thing where the applause turned into bulerias palmas was extremely moving even hearing a second hand account an ocean and half a continent away




bursche -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 3 2014 2:03:12)

A friend from Granada told me the news that wednesday in the morning. what came to my mind was exactly the same you wrote about Paco having influenced your life unknowingly. A main part of my life in the past years only came about because of Paco and his music. I'd never have made contact with flamenco if he hadn't carried this music across the spanish borders. It triggered many events of my life. In fact, without Paco I wouldn't have met my girlfriend...

...and I wouldn't ever have met my primo Pimientito...

Realizing all this really made me cry that day.




Kevin James Shanahan -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 3 2014 5:26:42)

Thank you pimiento that was special .




Pimientito -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 3 2014 13:53:00)

Thanks guys. Estela - Its a shame I didn't see you either but there were a lot of people and umbrellas. Here are a few more photos of the motorcade and the poster from the town hall.









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sig -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 3 2014 17:31:14)

Thanks for the wonderful coverage of events. Just yesterday in his memory, I watched the documentary Light & Shade and it was hard to believe he is gone. Like most people involved in this great art form, his music had a profound influence on my flamenco journey. He was a true master and innovator of the flamenco guitar and will be sadly missed...
Sig--




HolyEvil -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 4 2014 1:31:25)

Thanks of much for that. I'm sure many of us here wish we could go and pay our respect to Paco, but having you go and recalling the day helps each one of us live that day with you.




krichards -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 4 2014 11:28:40)

Mark, many thanks for this.
Its an outstanding piece of writing and very moving. Of course, I never met Paco myself, but luckily, I met you recently in Manchester. That personal contact makes such a difference. Your account of events makes me feel that much closer.
Brilliant. Well done.




rodrigovalt -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 5 2014 2:08:21)

Thanks a lot for sharing this... El maestro will always be missed




Lorenzo714 -> RE: Adios Paco (Mar. 5 2014 2:53:39)

I did have the privilege to meet Paco & talk with him briefly & what really struck me was his down to earth humble attitude. He did not come across as an arrogant conceited person at all unlike other famous people I have met....

He cracked up at my wife's joke about me loving him more than her & being willing to trade her in for him hahaha

He got a real laugh out of it. Anyway we all realize the tremendous loss for the music world & of course his own family & friends are certainly grieving deeply....

One thing is for sure Paco's Legacy will never be forgotten. [:)]




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