Ricardo -> Paco de Málaga tribute (Aug. 6 2026 15:33:15)
I posted this last week and got zero feedback so I guess folks missed it (or thought it sucked? [:D]). So just in case people missed it, I decide to repost in a new topic.
This audio was recorded in 2012 at Todd K's studio. I got the score (made by his student Stuart) and a private lesson from Paco to learn this composition. He had composed it in 2009 as an homenaje for his friend and teacher Ramón de Algeciras (PDL's oldest brother) which included some falsetas of Ramón, his dad Antonio Sanchez, and Niño Ricardo style material. Paco de Malaga was having trouble with his hands and wanted to hire me (and ToddK engineer) to record it for him in order to gift it to Paco de Lucía who was coming on tour to DC in April of 2012. I did not have much time to work on it so this thing was a huge challenge for me to get it together by the deadline.
I never released it as this seemed to be a very private personal thing for PDM and PDL family. As far as I know, PDL did listen to it when he got back to Mexico, not sure if he like it or it was emotional/nostalgic or what. I found the recording and decided to release it as a dedication to PDM and his wife Ana Martínez with a video montage of photos, since both passed in may this year. In 2013 I had considered making a video playing it but never got around to it and was composing my own material so I have long since forgotten these falsetas.
Thanks for posting that, Ricardo. I have already expressed my wife Marta's and my gratitude for the years of our friendship with Paco and Ana, and for Paco's flamenco guitar lessons.
A couple of facts regarding Paco and Ana's lives and careers that you are no doubt aware of but others may not be. First, Paco never knew his father, as his father was executed five months before Paco was born by Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War.
Second, I'm glad your video showed a clip of Paco and Ana wearing the "Cruz de Oficial de la Real Orden de Isabel la Catolica." It was conferred upon them by the King of Spain (via the Spanish Embassy) for their lifetime of promoting Spanish culture through their music and dance.
It was an honor to have known them and called them friends.
Paco did not read music and likely was dubious about the quality of the score and what it might convey from one student to the other. Basically he wanted to make sure the sound was what HE wanted me to record or that I was using the correct fingerings, etc. This was "his baby" so understanding that I have my own way to play things, he just wanted to make sure I got as close as possible to his vision of it. In the end I think he was very surprised at how well those fly droppings on the page could convey the falsetas he created. I learned a lot from the experience honestly.
btw, kudos to Todd. Even though the recording is clean and "modern" , it is very dry and puro which matches the piece and intention perfectly , I only hear very minimal touch of reverb, and not the usual over the top effects.
