“Paco can’t play unless...” (Full Version)

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Pgh_flamenco -> “Paco can’t play unless...” (Feb. 25 2022 4:33:52)

Rick Beato just posted this video on his channel and 30 minutes into the interview Al claimed that Paco needed “weed” to play. I’m wondering if this was something Al came up with or if Paco was known for this sort of thing. Rick seemed pretty nervous during the interview. I hope he didn’t pay $7,000 for dinner with Al.




mt1007 -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Feb. 25 2022 7:45:16)

man nothing wrong with blazing... its legal everywhere just about now man... who cares if Paco smoked...

in LA when "eL Cid" was happening peeps use to come out of the back restroom area etc with white powder on them... for those that were around or know of peeps you know what im talking about



Ricardo -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Feb. 25 2022 12:47:38)

Unlike most of Rick’s videos, it seems he does not really know much at all about Al…and worse, I get the feeling he doesn’t really like his music. It is surprising to me that when it comes to Al there is either hatred or blind allegiance… and that is only based on his fast rhythmic lines (hatred of his style), or Elegant Gypsy (his most successful album his fans die for and demand him to play in concert). I have always been a fan but from a musical and specific perspective…I would not die for the guy but admit he had something that scared Paco. That is why Paco was nervous…the friend Paco brought as interpreter was Rusel de Maria…who visited this foro and wrote a book about his non flamenco adventures with Paco. Every fan should read it. He was friends with both Paco and Al. Paco (EDIT: Russel NOT Paco gives this impression) had envisioned the “jazz player” to be an old guy bald guy doing slow bluesy chord melodies with a warm tone and thought this experiment was gonna be a hilarious joke where Paco plays circles around the guy. But as soon as he met young Dimeola and heard the guy soloing over what is essentially Entre dos Aguas…doing runs and rhythms PDL himself had never thought of, he FREAKED OUT. He got nervous and shaking and couldn’t play infront of the guy. They went back to hotel and PDL confessed how wrong he was and wasn’t sure he could keep up. Rusel encouraged him and they got weed. (Yes Paco always nervous and smoking even into old age). But he got STONED …. Al leaves the next part out. He was so stoned that he couldn’t play at all. So it wasn’t until the THIRD day that Paco finally got it together (EDIT: corrected this info in my next post). We are talking dozens and dozens of crap takes before they got the ONE famous one on the third day.

So Al was a weird guy and definitely intimidated the older guys John and Paco. The sad part of the story is they ganged up on Al and made fun of him, and teased him. Rusel knew it was happening and Paco told him “we are just joking with him and having fun, Al needs to get over it”. But Rusel asked Al, and in the Beato video there is a slight hint about it…Al was very hurt by it and always felt as the odd man out. Paco actually recorded the duet Fantasia with Al in Spain…but the engineer fuked up the splicing edits so badly that Al had to re record the entire track on his own. It is not discussed in the book but the third trio album and tour was very problematic and it resulted, early on, in a fist fight and lawyer intervention in order to continue. Al talks in other interviews about his “John McLaughlin button” on his ovation because they would not let him use his volume knob. The other thing not discussed is Al has tinnitus which contributed to those problems IMO. Obviously they continued the tour and it was successful. The album shows Al brought more to the table than the other two and ended up doing a solo piece he obviously wanted them to play on. Again, always the odd man out of the trio. In 2010 Paco and Al performed their last duet together (the same as the first) and obviously things ended on good terms. Al admits in other interviews he is in contact with Paco’s Widow and John about this album coming out in June, and it will be a nice tribute. I could have only hoped for a more involved documentary or something about it on DVD.

So I get why people don’t like Al in general, but I have studied his music and he is really a great and unique artist, and a decent teacher if you have seen his video for REH. The Beato video shows Al demonstrating several times the base line melody in E minor…that is Cafe 1930 by Piazolla and his version on Heart of the Immigrants is the best version ever IMO. And that to me is his best overall album, and nobody ever talks about that material. For me that and the “kiss my Axe” stuff is his best work. Chick never talks about the guy, but Al has promoted Chick on every album and every interview. The Phantom is one of the greatest pieces and I still can’t figure out how much of that is chick and how much is Al filling in the parts. I have tons of questions for Al that never get asked, it is always the same ol boring stuff about return to forever and Elegant gypsy. Perhaps one day, he will do something with John again, but I doubt it.

About Paco, yes big weed smoker…my friend got to accompany him in the 70s on Entre dos Aguas when Paco came alone to tour USA. He said the car was full of green smoke al a cheech and Chong all the time as he drove him around. Rusel’s book reveals how much of a womanizer he was back in the day as well. It implies that after his divorce and he settled down with the Mexican girl he slowed down that nonsense. But I am sure he was still smoking weed till the end.



kitarist -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Feb. 25 2022 17:52:15)

quote:

PDL himself had never thought of, he FREAKED OUT. He got nervous and shaking and couldn’t play infront of the guy. They went back to hotel and PDL confessed how wrong he was and wasn’t sure he could keep up. Rusel encouraged him and they got weed. (Yes Paco always nervous and smoking even into old age). But he got STONED …. Al leaves the next part out. He was so stoned that he couldn’t play at all. So it wasn’t until the THIRD day that Paco finally got it together.


Sorry but that is not correct (I have the book too; page 51). It was the second day and without weed when the perfect take happened. All the nervousness and then the Thai Stick pot smoking to ease his nerves, which did not work at all, was on that same first day. So, overall, saying "Paco can't play unless he is on weed" is false. His brilliant playing, in this particular case or overall, was not contingent on weed.

Today is eight years since he died.



Ricardo -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Feb. 25 2022 21:14:35)

quote:

ORIGINAL: kitarist

quote:

PDL himself had never thought of, he FREAKED OUT. He got nervous and shaking and couldn’t play infront of the guy. They went back to hotel and PDL confessed how wrong he was and wasn’t sure he could keep up. Rusel encouraged him and they got weed. (Yes Paco always nervous and smoking even into old age). But he got STONED …. Al leaves the next part out. He was so stoned that he couldn’t play at all. So it wasn’t until the THIRD day that Paco finally got it together.


Sorry but that is not correct (I have the book too; page 51). It was the second day and without weed when the perfect take happened. All the nervousness and then the Thai Stick pot smoking to ease his nerves, which did not work at all, was on that same first day. So, overall, saying "Paco can't play unless he is on weed" is false. His brilliant playing, in this particular case or overall, was not contingent on weed.

Today is eight years since he died.


Ok i just reread it. You are right. I think the page before where he said “for the rest of the day” and at the end of the paragraph I felt the entire day was a bust by his description. The next page talks about trying it with palmas that failed too, so at night they got the weed. I had the impression, which was wrong, all that was the NEXT day into the evening. Anyway you look at it Paco had sobered up for the true good take. Al makes it sound like Paco got weed then played fine.

Also i was wrong about the bald jazz guitarist impression…that was Russell’s and it seems Paco was nervous all along because he had no clue who Al was. But it is true that Paco was impressed and surprised by Al and could not play.



tk -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Feb. 25 2022 22:39:34)

lol for me Paco is God and is it weird to feel this way where I really don't want to know anything negative about him lol?

like a 5 year old who believes in Santa Clause, you should never tell them that's a myth.

TK



TrickyFish -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Feb. 26 2022 11:57:48)

It was an interesting interview. I like Beato’s work in general.

I never really connected with Al’s music when i first heard it in the 80s and his personality left me cold, but i liked some of his solo nylon string playing in this interview and his personality seems to have softened somewhat.

I never saw Al as being on the same level as Paco.



TrickyFish -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Feb. 26 2022 12:06:51)

Regarding the comments re Paco smoking, i must say that i ‘m disappointed but perhaps not surprised.

I’ve personally seen weed hold back many people from achieving their full potential, but each to their own.



gerundino63 -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Feb. 26 2022 16:33:22)

Lived and grew up in Amsterdam, weed is everywhere. All the (decent) tourists come for one thing, the Coffeeshop ….. because i grew up in that surrounding, i used it perhaps 3 or 4 times in my youth, never more. Did not like it.
But all the tourists, dads, grandfathers, “respected” people, especially from The States comes for that (and the red light district). It is now a bit like your Disney World in Amsterdam.

So, maybe do not judge people for weed i think.

Do you know somebody who visited Amsterdam? 😃



Ricardo -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 2 2025 19:19:32)

Part 2 came out a few days ago. I have to say, Beato seems to be squeezing the lemon on these interviews to keep his channel relevant as a pro “YouTuber”. I do appreciate the effort in most cases, but these comments are like “the best interview ever done with this guy!”, which I don’t agree with. There are literally gazillions of interviews of these “stars”, many are way better. Beato does great when he actually knows the artists music intimately, and I can tell he has no clue about Al’s music.




Arash -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 8:46:21)

I want whatever secret herbs Al di Meola has been smoking. Dude still looks like 40 and is over 70 years old.



Stu -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 9:28:04)

quote:


I want whatever secret herbs Al di Meola has been smoking. Dude still looks like 40 and is over 70 years old.
[:D][:D]

Glad you are still visiting Arash!

why does Als guitar sound annoy me so much in tha video?[:D] that raspy electric nastiness.[:'(]

sorry didnt mean to be negative.



machopicasso -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 9:48:50)

quote:

...Rusel de Maria…who visited this foro and wrote a book about his non flamenco adventures with Paco.


What's the title of the book?



Arash -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 10:22:42)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Stu




why does Als guitar sound annoy me so much in tha video?[:D] that raspy electric nastiness.[:'(]

sorry didnt mean to be negative.


Its that rmc pickup and that whole setup there. But he prefers that kind of sound anyways.
Guitar itself is his felipe conde signature i believe and doesn't sound bad.



Manitas de Lata -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 11:45:10)

maybe he didnt wanted to give a bad show or performance .

Its like you used to drive track racing and you change to drift or rally , its very diferent.
Jazz players are used to improvise and know whats works in every inch of the guitar , even out of tone , specially progressive jazz and that kind of stuff, old or "new"
It doesnt make sense of Paco being afraid of AL or so , but to put a bad performance for something that wasnt his stuff.

i only knew Paco as well as AL (and john) at the same time when i saw the trio in Concert on Mezzo channel in late 90s (i guess), and i was so impress that when i saw Entre Dos aguas (phillips) Cd from Paco i bought right away . Several years later my uncle bought me the "Elegant gipsy" cd and was also mind blowing



devilhand -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 13:48:19)

quote:

I want whatever secret herbs Al di Meola has been smoking. Dude still looks like 40 and is over 70 years old.

Everyone knows he wears a wig. Now you know it.



Manitas de Lata -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 13:56:40)

he bought implants some time ago, no wig , its no secret.

But Postigo seems to have a Wig



Arash -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 14:06:23)

Even bald he would look 30 years younger than he is



Ricardo -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 16:15:41)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Arash

Even bald he would look 30 years younger than he is


About his age. He “looks” pretty good for his age, but last year he litterally had a heart attack on stage while playing. The band kept playing after he walked off holding his chest. Luckily a doctor nearby did a bypass stint or whatever needed, just in time. He almost joined Paco right there, so they are about in the same bad shape under the hood. I saw him some months ago, and his playing is WAY more low key than the previous time I saw him. It is noticeable he is taking it easy physically.

Now, I won’t defend his **** guitar tone in the video above. Playing an 11k conde through that tiny horned amp? You need a serious PA set up and good mixer to make a quaking RCM sound good. Those pickups are for triggering midi (originally used on the old Godin guitar monstrosity) so you can do strings and such, as Al often does. My favorite album of Al is Heart of the Immigrants, and most of the album he alternate picks on his old Conde classical guitar, and it is exquisite tone wise. Sounds like nails at times unlike the above. So for me, he has earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants from now until lights out.




Manitas de Lata -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 16:43:47)

im like Stu , the "bandoneón " sounds very anoying and weird , the sound its like artificial very digital (i dont know) and the tempo is very weird.
dont like that track



Morante -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 16:50:52)

quote:

But Postigo seems to have a Wig


do u know Postigo personally?



Manitas de Lata -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 17:10:17)

no , thats why i said "it seems" , if it was in person i should ensure



Paul Magnussen -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 17:26:21)

quote:

What's the title of the book?


Paco de Lucia: My Memories of a Flamenco Legend

https://www.amazon.com/Paco-Lucia-Memories-Flamenco-Legend/dp/1941768229/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1O0MGJLI37T4C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nS6T4BYkR6wYMs2WMqzPGa0kwYOgSkFGGUBJ_xhxWCo.XO_GgRNUmyN1SwQs682Ey6Pmk9xV4hTvOgRweAhzLW0&dib_tag=se&keywords=russel+de+maria+paco+de+Luc%C3%ADa&qid=1741022715&s=books&sprefix=russel+de+maria+paco+de+luc%C3%ADa%2Cstripbooks%2C120&sr=1-1



Mark2 -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 18:09:01)

When Al first broke out with RTF, I was really impressed. I had been studying jazz and I figured if a guy could play jazz lines with a rock sound, it would work. Then he comes out and does it better than I ever could have. Great chops. I liked his solo records of that time as well.

But, he was never on Paco's level, even as an improviser of single note lines, no matter what Paco thought IMO.

I'll give Al credit for engaging with his fans, as he sometimes personally responds to fans on facebook. One fellow asked what kind of guitar he was playing. I responded by writing that it was a Conde, one of the finest builders of flamenco guitars. Then I took a little dig and mentioned that it would sound even better if played with fingers.

Al responded by informing me that it was an "Al Dimeola signature model" and that a pick provided better articulation when in the "right hands"

I give him a lot of credit for sustaining a great career. His dinner with Al is cringy, but if fans are willing, I really can't blame him for cashing in on his well earned reputation.

Playing a Conde through an rmc should be a crime, unless you also use a Tone Dexter.


quote:

ORIGINAL: Ricardo

quote:

ORIGINAL: Arash

Even bald he would look 30 years younger than he is


About his age. He “looks” pretty good for his age, but last year he litterally had a heart attack on stage while playing. The band kept playing after he walked off holding his chest. Luckily a doctor nearby did a bypass stint or whatever needed, just in time. He almost joined Paco right there, so they are about in the same bad shape under the hood. I saw him some months ago, and his playing is WAY more low key than the previous time I saw him. It is noticeable he is taking it easy physically.

Now, I won’t defend his **** guitar tone in the video above. Playing an 11k conde through that tiny horned amp? You need a serious PA set up and good mixer to make a quaking RCM sound good. Those pickups are for triggering midi (originally used on the old Godin guitar monstrosity) so you can do strings and such, as Al often does. My favorite album of Al is Heart of the Immigrants, and most of the album he alternate picks on his old Conde classical guitar, and it is exquisite tone wise. Sounds like nails at times unlike the above. So for me, he has earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants from now until lights out.





Manitas de Lata -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 23:19:28)






Manitas de Lata -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 3 2025 23:30:20)

wish i afford the premium (or any..) , dinner with him , enjoy his concert , had a lesson and choose one of his guitars.
what a night....

now he does in capri over a cliff with sea view, even more awesome



machopicasso -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 4 2025 9:37:42)

Thanks!



Arash -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 4 2025 11:04:40)

Yeah you are right about the tone in that video. The guitar itself though isn't that bad, is what i meant

https://youtu.be/7bc5IPXw0b0?si=ZKNfQEO4Ug0u8IU4



Ricardo -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 4 2025 11:45:18)

quote:

im like Stu , the "bandoneón " sounds very anoying and weird , the sound its like artificial very digital (i dont know) and the tempo is very weird.
dont like that track


Huh? Are you responding to my post or someone else? And why are you spamming with jazz fusion vids?



Manitas de Lata -> RE: “Paco can’t play unless...” (Mar. 4 2025 11:58:36)

yes that AL track have a weird "bandoneon"

those videos were examples of what it is capable to do in jazz , and are old videos ,
for who plays other styles , and knowing what they capable sure it requires lot of pratice before put a good show , and i forgot that most plays with a pick... and i didnt put Frank Gambale the fusion jazz shreder
so paco should be afraid of not get along with them and put a bad show, not of their capabilities.

and i doubt that he smoke a lot of pot , he smoked 3 packs a day , 3 packs a day doesnt give you much room to pot
But what is public , is that all of the great players (or almost) abused on other substances, one in particular (coke) ... BB King , Joe Pass (and smack) , Eric clapton , you name it.., and makes sense because doesnt leave you dull letargic



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