Paco De Lucia: Luzia

The latest outing by the flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia, who has drama to spare, is an homage to his mother, Luzia, who passed away while he was working on this recording. Lucia’s beautiful guitar is frequently complemented by “palmas,” or handclapping, by his brother Pepe de Lucia, flamenco vocals by Duquende and Chonchi, the mandolin of Josemi Carmona and Carlos Benavent, who is also heard on bass, the tambourine, tabla, and cajón of Tino di Geraldo, and, on the rumba “Manteca Colorá,” the congas and yembé of Luis Dulzaides. Lucia also plays lute on two tunes and is heard on vocals on the title cut, and on the poignant “Camarón,” dedicated to the late flamenco singer and Lucia’s good friend, Camaron de la Isla. Lucia’s approach, while traditional in the sense that he plays standard flamenco forms, such as the bulería, soleá, and siguiriya, is always inventive and engaging.

Originally Published November 1, 1999