Paco de Lucia

Paco de Lucía, born Francisco Sánchez Gómez (in Algeciras, Cádiz on December 21, 1947), is a Spanish composer and guitarist. Recognized as a virtuoso flamenco guitarist all over the world, he is a leading proponent of the Modern Flamenco style, and is one of the very few flamenco guitarists who has also successfully crossed over into other genres of music. He enjoys, and has been a successful musician in, many styles such as classical, jazz and world music. He is the winner of the 2004 Prince of Asturias Awards in Arts and 2010 was awarded an honorary doctorate by Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Biography
Paco de Lucía was born Francisco Sánchez Gómez in Algeciras, a city in the province of Cádiz, at the southernmost tip of Spain directly in front of the Rock of Gibraltar. The youngest of the five children of flamenco guitarist Antonio Sánchez, and brother of flamenco singer Pepe de Lucía and flamenco guitarist Ramón de Algeciras, he adopted the stage name Paco de Lucía in honor of his Portuguese mother, Lucía Gomes. In Algeciras, and generally in Andalusia, it is a custom to name boys (especially if they have the same first name) by adding the mother's name in order to properly identify them, such as "Paco de (la) Carmen," "Paco de (la) María," and so on.

In 1958, at age 11, he made his first public appearance on Radio Algeciras, and a year later was awarded a special prize in the Jerez flamenco competition. In 1961, he toured with the flamenco troupe of dancer José Greco. In 1964, he met Madrileño guitarist Ricardo Modrego with whom he recorded three albums: Dos guitarras flamencas, Dos guitarras flamencas en stereo, and Doce canciones de Federico García Lorca para guitarra. Between 1968 and 1977, he enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with fellow New Flamenco cantaor (Flamenco singer) Camarón de la Isla. The two recorded 10 albums together. His 1976 album Almoraima was a success and featured notable tracks such as Almoraima and Río Ancho, the latter track of which has been covered by other guitarists such as Al Di Meola.

In 1979, de Lucía, John McLaughlin, and Larry Coryell formed "The Guitar Trio" and together made a brief tour of Europe and released a video recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall entitled Meeting of Spirits. Coryell was later replaced by Al Di Meola, and since 1981, the trio has recorded three albums. De Lucía's own band, the Paco de Lucía Sextet (which includes his brothers Ramón and Pepe) released the first of its three albums that same year. He has released several albums encompassing both traditional and modern flamenco styles.

In 1995, he recorded with Bryan Adams the hit song and video "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" on the soundtrack for the movie Don Juan DeMarco. Through his wide discography he has advanced the technical and musical boundaries of his instrument. The University of Cadiz recognized de Lucía's musical and cultural contributions by conferring on him the title of Doctor Honoris Causa on March 23, 2007.

Until asked to perform and interpret Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez in 1991, de Lucía was not proficient at reading musical notation. As a flamenco guitarist, he claimed in Paco de Lucía-Light and Shade: A Portrait that he gave greater emphasis to rhythmical accuracy in his interpretation of the Concierto at the expense of the perfect tone preferred by classical guitarists. Joaquín Rodrigo declared that no one had ever played his composition in such a brilliant manner. Since de Lucía was not able to read music, he worked on his interpretation of the concerto with Narciso Yepes.

Discography
Studio albums
Dos guitarras flamencas en stereo (1964) with Ricardo Modrego
12 canciones de García Lorca para guitarra (1965) with Ricardo Modrego
12 éxitos para 2 guitarras flamencas (1965) with Ricardo Modrego
La fabulosa guitarra de Paco de Lucía (1967)
Canciones andaluzas para 2 guitarras (1967) with Ramón de Algeciras
Dos guitarras flamencas en América Latina (1967) with Ramón de Algeciras
Fantasía flamenca de Paco de Lucía (1969)
Paco de Lucía y Ramón de Algeciras en Hispanoamérica (1969) with Ramón de Algeciras
12 Hits para 2 guitarras flamencas y orquesta de cuerda (1969) with Ramón de Algeciras
El mundo del flamenco (1971)
Recital de guitarra de Paco de Lucía (1971)
El duende flamenco de Paco de Lucía (1972)
Fuente y caudal (1973)
Almoraima (1976)
Interpreta a Manuel de Falla (1978)
Castro Marín (1981) with Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin
Sólo quiero caminar (1981) The Paco de Lucía Sextet
Passion, Grace and Fire (1983) with Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin
Siroco (1987)
Zyryab (1990)
Concierto de Aranjuez (1991)
The Guitar Trio (1996) with Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin
Luzia (1998)
Cositas buenas (2004)

Live albums
En vivo desde el Teatro Real (1975)
Friday Night in San Francisco (1981) with Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin
Live... One Summer Night (1984) The Paco de Lucía Sextet
Live recordings (1987) with George Dalaras
Live in América (1993) The Paco de Lucía Sextet

Compilations
Entre dos aguas (1975)
Antología (1995) - 2 cd
Integral (2003) 26 CD Limited Edition Box Set
Por Descubrir (2003)

Other
Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou Soundtrack (La Nina de Puerta Oscura) (2004)- (Only one song)
Elegant Gypsy by Al Di Meola (1977) - De Lucía plays a duet with Di Meola on the track Mediterranean Sundance.

He also has composed (or appears on) the soundtracks for: "la Sabina", "The Hit", the brit-noir thriller by Stephen Frears, "Carmen" by Carlos Saura, "Montoyas y Tarantos", "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and "Sevillanas" (also by Carlos Saura).

The electronic act, Shpongle, sampled his track "Introduccion Y Pantomima" in their song "Around the World in a Tea Daze" from the album Tales of the Inexpressible. More flamenco guitarists.

Official webpage Paco de Lucia.