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Some of you may have known or known of San Diego guitarist Paco Sevilla, who passed away several years ago. He was known as a guitarist, teacher, and flamenco researcher - co-editing Jaleo magazine for years and publishing several books on flamenco, including a trilogy that covers flamenco history from three important periods (late 19th century, early to mid 20th century, and the Paco revolution of the late 20th century).
Before he passed away, he wrote a book about his first trip to Spain in 1964. While he didn't intend to publish it, his brother and I decided to edit it and publish it posthumously.
It is now available on Amazon: Innocents in Iberia - $20.
Here is the description from the Amazon site:
American flamenco guitarist and flamenco writer, Paco Sevilla, presents a compelling coming-of-age account of his own initiation into the flamenco world during a trip to Spain in 1964. Paco is part of the boomer generation that reached out to other cultures in a quest for self-realization. To this end, he embraced a foreign music and its culture and traveled to Europe on a shoestring. Along with his companion, David, he embarked on an adventure that involved traveling by steamship, staying in humble hostels, and eating in working-class restaurants. The specter of the Vietnam War and the draft lurks in the background of this tale, but the quest for flamenco takes center stage.
Paco formed part of an early pilgrimage of foreign aficionados who made their way to Spain to study flamenco. While there were a few earlier pioneers from about a decade earlier – e.g., David Cheny from San Diego and the British guitarist Gerald Howson (whose adventures are immortalized in the excellent The Flamencos of Cádiz Bay), Paco’s trip was part of the first large wave of foreign guitarists (and dancers). Most ended up in Madrid or Morón de la Frontera, but Paco’s experience in Cádiz and Sevilla was unique. He later coincided with several well-known guitarists in his Madrid Pensión. Thus, Paco was an early trailblazer for those who came later.
Spain underwent a significant transformation, beginning with the arrival of US bases in the 1950s, through the Franco-era promotion of tourism and flamenco in the 1960s, to the end of the dictatorship and modernization from the 1970s and beyond. One can trace an evolution from Howson’s Spain of the 1950s, to the slightly more modern Spain Paco encountered, to an emerging modern society during the last years of the dictatorship and the democratic reforms. Thus, this book, beyond a coming-of-age story, documents the beginnings of foreign afición in a Spain from a by-gone era.
RE: Paco Sevilla's new book (in reply to granjuanillo)
John,
thanks for this. I communicated with Paco in Sep-Oct 2020 and he told me, unprompted, about this book that he was then writing. I responded that I am really interested in reading it and asked him that he let me know when it gets published. Didn't get the impression that he did not want it seen.
RE: Paco Sevilla's new book (in reply to Paul Magnussen)
Paco made a series of cassetes which were a great help to me when I was beginning.I used to play a fandangos solo based on his tapes with lots of tone changes which impressed the people: Cerro de Andévalo, Valverde del Camino, Santa Eulalia etc. He knew a lot and taught many people.
Would like to have the book, but will be hard to find in España
Paco made a series of cassetes which were a great help to me when I was beginning.I used to play a fandangos solo based on his tapes with lots of tone changes which impressed the people: Cerro de Andévalo, Valverde del Camino, Santa Eulalia etc. He knew a lot and taught many people.
Would like to have the book, but will be hard to find in España
Why hard? In any case, I can order two instead of one and ship one to you, that's easy.
My sister and Brother-in-law will be visiting Cádiz in late February. If you want, I can grab you a copy and ask her to bring it to you. Just let me know, I'm sure she'd be happy to do it, and it would be my pleasure to gift you a copy.
Why hard? In any case, I can order two instead of one and ship one to you, that's easy.
Book costs, postage costs. Payment difficcult
Gracias.
I wasn't gonna ask for payment, I always appreciate your posts. But it looks like RobF has a personalized delivery offer I can't match. [shakes fist in the general direction of Ontario]
RE: Paco Sevilla's new book (in reply to kitarist)
Looks like one way or the other we've got it covered. Whichever way works out best for Morante is fine with me 🙂👍
Also, I appreciate your sentiment to want to give Sean a token of appreciation for all his contributions and I don't want to deprive you of that, so if you want to mail a copy that's totally cool. It's all good (I hope).
RE: Paco Sevilla's new book (in reply to kitarist)
Snowballs at dawn, it is! I feel pretty good about my chances here, seeing how I've got a three hour jump on you. By my calculations, my barrage should be raining down upon you at just about precisely the time you're in your backyard arranging your own little pyramid of ammo. Let the games begin!
P.S. your suggestion was perfect, once we confirm the deets with Morante we'll be good to go 👍
Posts: 3491
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Paco Sevilla's new book (in reply to kitarist)
quote:
Nah, the only way out of this grave insult is duel to the death.
I read this somewhere many years ago, and it has stayed with me as the coolest description of a duel.
Two gentlemen intent on settling their differences on the field of honor walk into a tavern and announce: "Barkeep, swords for two and brandy for one."
I've been waiting for an opportunity to use that phrase ever since, to no avail.
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."
¡Joder! Looks like the Foro really has a heart of gold
Book has been secured. Coming to you in Feb via RobF's sister. Merry Christmas, stranger, from all two of us here at ForoFlamenco Canada Headquarters (I am the one on the right )
Posts: 1812
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)
RE: Paco Sevilla's new book (in reply to Paul Magnussen)
Just got hold of this. I see that on p. 10, Paco says of Jack Buckingham’s El Arte Flamenco that ‘this book would teach me incorrectly, both technically and musically and […] it would take me years to undo the damage.’
That was certainly an old book (published in 1957), but I had a look at it once, and I don’t remember anything that would justify this kind of comment. What does everybody else think?
Posts: 15641
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Paco Sevilla's new book (in reply to Paul Magnussen)
quote:
justify this kind of comment. What does everybody else think?
Almost EVERY aspect of flamenco has so much nuance that any single statement I have read about it over 28 years is only half-true or plain false. So without having read the said book, I am certain I would agree with mr. Sevilla with whichever gripe he had. I feel like my presence online started with, and continues to be about pointing out those nuances that fly in the face of the generalizations. I will say that "damage done" is sometimes part of the learning curve EVERYONE goes through, even the privileged elite in the flamenco dynasties of Andalucía.
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