Via commentors Gin & Tonic and Eric, among others. From the BBC:
World-renowned Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia has died aged 66 in Mexico, reportedly of a heart attack while playing with his children on a beach.
The death of one of the most celebrated flamenco guitarists was announced by the mayor’s office in Algeciras, southern Spain, where he was born…
Famous for a series of flamenco albums in the 1970s, he also crossed over into classical and jazz guitar…
Paying tribute to a “very special musician”, fellow Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco Pena, 71, told BBC Radio 4’s Front Row: “Once in a while someone comes along in a musical discipline who changes everything, who sees things that others have not seen up to that point, and Paco de Lucia was one of these people.
“After him, flamenco radically changed and the proof is that so many young people have taken his lead and now flamenco is full of that virtuosity.”…
There’s some great reminiscences from other musicians and music lovers at the link. CBS adds:
… De Lucia was awarded the Culture Ministry’s Fine Arts Gold Medal in 1992 and the prestigious Prince of Asturias prize for the Arts in 2004.
Never able to read music, de Lucia memorized everything he performed in concert, most famously Joaquin de Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez” at London’s Festival Hall in 1991, attended by the composer himself, and considered one of the best interpretations of the piece.
In a documentary, de Lucia once said: “With the guitar I’ve suffered a great deal, but when I’ve had a good time, the suffering seemed worthwhile.”
Omnes Omnibus
Title typo.
NotMax
What Omnes said.
In Spanish, is it D.E.P.?
Requiescat in pace is descance en paz.
SatanicPanic
OT but music related- Good news for my band- just heard we were reviewed in San Diego City Beat’s annual demo review- bad news- I heard they “ripped us a new one”. Unforunately they have the issue on the street but not on the web yet and I’m not in a part of town where I can pick it up. So I’m stuck anticipating either laughing because they have us pegged or seething because they’re a bunch of hipster douchebags. The suspense is killing me.
srv
Wow, memories of him way, way back when I was a pre-teen listening to my Dad’s records. I remember one of those album with his picture, I can’t believe he was that young.
Sad day.
Anne Laurie
@Omnes Omnibus: Fixed, thanks.
NotMax
Flipping through channels.
So help me, if they did not already exist, bow ties would need to be invented for Bill Nye.
Jacel
The albums and concerts of a guitar trio with him, Al Di Meola, and John McLaughlin are unbelievable music making by all parties.
terraformer
Wow, thanks for the link! Great video example.
Villago Delenda Est
Another talented person passes on, yet Cheney continues to walk the Earth.
TANJ.
WereBear
I expect Cheney will be a head in a jar by the time he goes. Lotsa money and incredible fear of being called to account.
WereBear
@NotMax: Scientists and engineers gravitated to bow ties because they would not get caught in machinery and pull them to a gruesome death.
It has a certain geeky attraction.
Mnemosyne
@NotMax:
Matt Smith (the previous Dr. Who) always reminded me of a younger Bill Nye.
This was not a bad thing.
Carrie
That is such a good album, one of my faves.
RIP
Sad_Dem
On the BBC TV news this morning the announcer said Mr. de Lucia died while playing with his children on a beach. So at least there’s that. Then they ran a clip of him playing a buleria, and El Camaron was not there to sing. It was so so sad I started shaking. D.E.P. Paco.
Spike
I was fortunate enough to see him play the Vancouver Jazz Festival in 2011. An utterly mesmerizing performance. May he rest in peace.
hugely
@SatanicPanic: you in sd? What kind of tunez you play?
JeremyH
I heard him play about 20 years ago at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool. It was one of the best concerts I have ever heard. Just unbelievable energy and virtuosity. Sigh.