

Paco de Lucia, Renowned Flamenco Guitarist, Dies at 66 - trekkin
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/02/26/arts/26reuters-spain-delucia.html

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muyuu
Together with Andres Segovia, he's the reason why Spanish (and classic) guitar
is not considered merely a pop instrument nowadays.

It may seem strange nowadays because we are living in the musical aftermath of
geniuses like these, but guitar wasn't taken seriously until the 20th century.
It wasn't in the league of the piano, but rather in the league of the
harmonica and the bongos.

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anaphor
I would also throw in John Williams as a great popularizer of classical guitar
(for example check out his renditions of Satie's gymnopedies and such). That's
not to say that he is any better or more important.

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muraiki
To clarify for some who might not be aware of the difference: anaphor is
referring to a guitarist named John Williams, not the composer.

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christiansmith
I was fortunate enough to see him perform twice in Boston. Once at Symphony
Hall with Di Meola and McLaughlin, and once at the Orpheum with the dancers
and everything. He was to his instrument what Tesla was to electricity. He
made it come alive in a way that no one else could imagine.

I can't count the hours I've listened to his records while coding. It seems to
induce a unique state of inspired concentration unlike anything else.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fl8RBIr_WY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fl8RBIr_WY)

Goodbye Paco.

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RockyMcNuts
With Di Meola and McLaughlin - always blows me away

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlaCZ106b5w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlaCZ106b5w)

~~~
js2
This is fantastic. Thanks!

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oggy
So sad to hear this. There are many great guitar players out there, but to me
he was probably the greatest. Technically he was impeccable, but that's not
it... his playing just had some crazy fervor to it. Some of his stuff is just,
if you don't feel it, you must be dead. I know that playing his music will be
out of my technical reach forever, but dang it I just wish I could replicate
that fervor in my playing (or in anything else, come to think of it) just a
couple of times in my life...

In any case, I'm really grateful to have had the chance to see him play live
two times. Off to put "Live... One Summer Night" on. Gracias por todo,
maestro.

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fdej
Sad news. I wouldn't call myself a fan, but Entre Dos Aguas is one of my
favorite instrumental guitar albums.

If anyone needs cheering up:
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89zM9pZzt0U](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89zM9pZzt0U)

~~~
sam
This one is the true classic:
[http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2oyhlad64-s](http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2oyhlad64-s)

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hackerews
He was the greatest guitarist ever. Wrote a quick tribute:
[http://katsenblog.com/post/77916159815/paco-de-
lucia](http://katsenblog.com/post/77916159815/paco-de-lucia)

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gordaco
Wow, I didn't expect this to appear on nytimes or HN. This is kind of a big
deal in Spain, but I didn't know he was that well known in the US. Anyway he
was widely considered one of the best Spanish guitar players ever, so it's
understandable. He played a lot along with Camarón de la Isla (or just
Camarón), one of the pioneers of flamenco-fusión.

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gcv
Listening to de Lucia's Entre dos Aguas album now — stunning work.

Meta: delighted to see a story about such a wonderful musician on HN. Sad that
it's an obituary.

~~~
epsylon
I'm surprised and delighted as well. But he deserves it. Paco was the
extraordinary combination of talent and hard work. He was an extreme outlier
in both those things, a technical virtuoso with a musical soul. He was true to
his flamenco roots, but he was an innovator as well, playing with countless
artists from different genres, and helping flamenco music become popular
worldwide.

He was a legend and without a doubt one of the greatest musicians of the
century. May he rest in peace.

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josh-wrale
_" With the guitar I've suffered a great deal, but when I've had a good time,
the suffering seemed worthwhile," he said in the documentary._

Well put. I feel this way about computers in general (and the guitar).

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anaphor
Okay, this is really sad. I got into his music a while ago when I was
exploring classical and traditional guitar. His rendition of Joaquin Rodrigo's
Concierto de Aranjuez is absolutely brilliant.

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deaquino
Descanse en paz Maestro!

