Paco de Lucía, Six Strings of Genius
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Laura SchultzWhen Paco de Lucía died earlier this year, it became colder and the music world more lonely. But the Maestro will always return, to make us smile, to set our beat with his guitar.
Paco de Lucía, it sounds like a Sunday walk, sunshine, terrace, beer and friends. Like good things. Like Madrid, Algeciras and like New Orleans. Flamenco and Jazz, because music doesn't have a passport, and touches the heart of those it can, no matter your accent, it can make you smile and tremble, here and there. Sometimes, with six strings, you can travel the whole world. "You say I am a guitar legend. You have no idea. There are only two or three guitarists that can be considered legends. Above all is Paco de Lucía," said Keith Richards. Rock and roll and Amen. Paco achieved respect for music, it would be easy to make a list of praise, of heroic deeds that were and still are. It would be easy eulogize what he did for Flamenco, to put Spain on the map, but this isn't a matter of borders, a genius cannot be held on a map.
I prefer to keep enjoying myself when the rhythm of his adulation makes my hair stand on end. Closing my eyes, and jumping between his strings, he sets the beat and I am swept along. I suppose he wanted it this way. Today we are more alone, we are worse-off. But there is always a ray of sunshine on a Sunday afternoon, Paco de Lucía will play, because good things always return. May the earth rest lightly on you, maestro.
Translated from Paco de Lucía, las seis cuerdas del genio