Luciano Pavarotti & Friends – For War Child (1996)

Pavarotti & Friends was a series of benefit concerts hosted by Italian operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti between 1992 and 2003 in his home town of Modena, Italy. Proceeds from the events were donated to humanitarian causes including the international aid agency War Child and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The concerts featured Pavarotti performing with special musical guests and each concert was released as a compilation album and DVD under London Records/Decca Records.

The Pavarotti & Friends for War Child concert was held on 20 June 1996. Proceeds from the concert were donated to the international aid agency, War Child, specifically in aid of children in Bosnia. The concert featured guest performances by Elton John, Sheryl Crow, Eric Clapton, Liza Minnelli and Joan Osborne. The compilation arrived at position 19 in Danish Chart. (wikipedia)

Eclecticism, rendered with more good nature than real accomplishment, is the key characteristic of this mixed bag of performers gathering together in Modena, Italy, Luciano Pavarotti’s hometown, for a benefit concert for Bosnian children. Actually, the pop stars, notably Eric Clapton and Elton John, come off better than the host. Sheryl Crow doesn’t embarrass herself duetting on Mozart with Pavarotti nearly as much as Pavarotti does duetting with Liza Minnelli on “New York, New York.” With plenty of Italian pop and competent but unexceptional Anglo-American hits to accompany the classical musings, there’s something here to bore nearly everyone, though the idea, of course, is to have something to intrigue everyone enough to buy a copy and help the charity. (by William Ruhlmann)

Personnel:
Eric Clapton – Luciano Pavarotti – Joan Osborne – Elton John – Liza Minnelli – Zucchero – Sheryl Crow – Ligabue – Jon Secada – The Kelly Family – Litfiba – Solis String Quartet – Paco De Lucia,  Al Di Meola & John McLaughlin
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Orchestra conducted by Rob Mathes (on 01. + 16.)
Orchestra conducted by José Molina (on 02,, 05.)
Orchestra conducted by Anne Dudley (on 17.)
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East London Gospel Choir (on 01. + 16.)

Tracklist:
01. Eric Clapton & Luciano Pavarotti: Holy Mother (Clapton/Bishop) 5.38
02. Joan Osborne: Saint Teresa (Bazilian/Osborne/Chertoff/Hyman) 5.41
03. Elton John: I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues (Johnstone/John/Taupin) 4.39
04. Liza Minnelli & Luciano Pavarotti: New York, New York (Kander/Ebb) 3.53
05. Zucchero: My Love (Il Volo) (Fornaciari/Palladino/MacDonald) 5.37
06. Sheryl Crow & Eric Clapton: Run, Baby, Run (Bottrell/Baerwald/Crow) 6.09
07. Ligabue & Luciano Pavarotti: Certe Notti (Ligabue) 4.18
08. Jon Secada: Angel (Secada/Morejon) 4.53
09. The Kelly Family & Luciano Pavarotti: Ave Maria (Gounod/Bach) 2.24
10. Litfiba: Spirito (Renzulli/Pelù) 4.48
11. Eric Clapton: Third Degree (Boyd/Dixon) 4.49
12. Sheryl Crow & Luciano Pavarotti: Là Ci Darem La Mano (Don Giovanni) (Da Ponte/ Mozart) 3.13
13. Edoardo Bennato & Solis String Quartet: Le Regazze Fanno Grandi Sogni (Bennato) 3.17
14. Jon Secada & Luciano Pavarotti: Grenada (Lara) 3.18
15. Paco De Lucia,  Al Di Meola & John McLaughlin: Mediterranean Sundance (Di Meola) .4.14
16. Joan Osborne & Luciano Pavarotti: Gesù Bambino (Martens/Yon) 3.51
17. Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti & Ensemble: Live Like Horses (John/Taupin) 4.59

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More from Luciano Pavarotti:

Paco de Lucia – Fuente Y Caudal (1973)

Fuente y caudal (Source and Flow) is the ninth studio album by the Spanish composer and guitarist Paco de Lucía. All pieces are credited Paco de Lucía and José Torregrosa.

The technical ability on this album is absolutely phenomenal. Paco’s blisteringly fast plucks and latin rhythms are an absolute delight, and the occasional presentations of background vocals and rhythmic stomps and claps bring a wonderful air of culture and fun to this impressive instrumental album. It does tend to run together a little bit, in my opinion from a lack of diversity in the backing instrumentation, but overall this is really a stellar and jaw-dropping album that showcases a lot of grace and finesse. (HotOpinions)

This is a historic recording by the greatest flamenco guitarist. His technique is different from the classical guitar. He holds his instrument over his right knee instead of using a foot stool. He uses techniques like tremolo (fast repetition of one note), rasguado (stroking with several fingers), arpeggio (broken chord) and golpe (tap). You can hear the Moorish influence and the Phrygian mode. Each track has the rhythm of a traditional Spanish dance. Highlights: Entre dos aguas, Bulerías por soleá, Fuente y caudal. (bonnielaurel)

Personnel:
Ramón de Algeciras (guitar)
Paco de Lucía (guitar)

Tracklist:
01. Entre dos aguas (Rumba) 6.00
02. Aires choqueros (Fandangos de Huelva) 4.14
03. Reflejo de luna (Granaína) 3.52
04. Solera (Bulerías por Soleá) 3.44
05. Fuente y caudal (Taranta) 5.11
06. Cepa Andaluza (Bulería) 5.48
07. Los Pinares (Tangos) 3.36
08. Plaza de San Juan (Alegrías) 3.11

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Paco de Lucia (21 December 1947 – 25 February 2014)

Various Artists – Flamenco For Beginners (2006)

Okay, I´m back from my trip to Andalusian … a real excellent destination (as Chris wrote) even we had many rainy days …

And I´ll start my spanish weeks with a fine compilation album called  “Flamenco For Beginners”:

Flamenco (Spanish pronunciation: [flaˈmeŋko]) is an artform native to the Spanish regions of Andalusia, Extremadura and Murcia. It includes cante (singing), toque (guitar playing), baile (dance), jaleo (vocalizations), palmas (handclapping) and pitos (finger snapping).

First mentioned in literature in 1774, the genre originates in Andalusian music and dance styles. Flamenco is strongly associated with the gitanos (Romani people of Spain)—however, unlike Romani music of eastern Europe, the style is distinctively Andalusian and the fusion of the various cultures of southern Spain is clearly perceptible in Flamenco music. Although there are many theories on its influences and origins, the most widespread highlights a Morisco heritage, the cultural melting pot that was Andalusia at the time (Andalusians, Moors, Castilian settlers, Romanis and Jews) fostering its development over time. Flamenco music, as a theatrical representation of Andalusian musical tradition, was first recorded in the late 18th century but the genre underwent a dramatic development in the late 19th century.

In recent years, flamenco has become popular all over the world and is taught in many non-Hispanic countries, especially United States and Japan. In Japan, there are more flamenco academies than there are in Spain. On November 16, 2010, UNESCO declared flamenco one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

There are many suggestions for the origin of the word flamenco as a musical term (summarized below) but no solid evidence for any of them. The word was not recorded as a musical and dance term until the late 18th century.

The Spanish word flamenco could have been a derivative of “fire” or “flame”, as it is connected to the ‘Cante’ and the dance’s solemn, passionate nature. The word flamenco may have come to be used for certain behaviour in general, which could possibly have come to be applied to the Gitano players and performers.

Another theory, proposed by Andalusian historian Blas Infante in his 1933 book Orígenes de lo Flamenco y Secreto del Cante Jondo suggests that the word flamenco comes from the Hispano-Arabic term fellah mengu, meaning “expelled peasant”; Infante argued that this term referred to the ethnic Andalusians of the Islamic faith, the Moriscos, who in order to avoid forced exile and religious persecution, joined with the Roma newcomers.

Palos (formerly known as cantes) are flamenco styles, classified by criteria such as rhythmic pattern, mode, chord progression, stanzaic form and geographic origin. There are over 50 different palos and a detailed description of them can be found in the main article. Some are sung unaccompanied while others have guitar or other accompaniment. Some forms are danced while others are not. Some are reserved for men and others for women while some may be performed by either, though these traditional distinctions are breaking down: the Farruca, for example, once a male dance, is now commonly performed by women too.

There are many ways to categories Palos but they traditionally fall into three classes: the most serious is known as cante jondo (or cante grande), while lighter, frivolous forms are called cante chico. Forms that do not fit either category are classed as cante intermedio.[citation needed] Cante jondo has clear traces of Arabic and Spanish folk melodies, as well as vestiges of Byzantine, Christian and Jewish religious music. (by wikipedia)

Let´s discover this fascinating music !

Tracklist:
01. El Camarón de la Isla: Un Un Tiro Al Aire (1987) (Monge/Pachon) 4.41
02. La Paquera de Jerez: Que Dolor De Mare Mia (1975) (Traditional) 3.08
03. Paco de Lucía: Monasterio De Sal (1981) (Gómez/Lucía) 4.51
04. Ramon Algeciras + Paco Toronjo: De Mi Mismo Me Reia (1971) (Sanchez) 3.06
05. Juan Habichuela + Rancapino: La Pureza (1999) (Habichuela) 3.59
06. Paco de Lucía: Recuerdos (1971) (Sanchez) 3.06
07. Carmen Linares: Y Doy Suspiros Al Aire (1996) (Traditional) 5.32
08. Sernita De Jerez: A La Mare De Mi Alma (1959) (Traditional) 4.10
09. Terremoto Jerez: Yo Ya No Soy Quien Era (1969) (Traditional) 2.05
10. Paco de Lucía: Mi Nino Curro (1987) (R.Gomez/S.Gómez) 3.27
11. Bambino: Bambino, Piccolino (1969) (Molina) 2:13
12. José Mercé: Me Cierren los Ojos (1983) (Pernia) 1.57
13. Salmarina: A La Yala Yala (1994) (Evora/Muñoz) 3.29
14. Antonio Mairena: Por Tu Causa (1973) (Garcia) 5.32
15. Juan Peña: Lo Mismo Que Un Loco (1973) (Peña) 3.38
16. El Camarón de la Isla: Romance De La Luna, Luna (1983) (Bermejo/Lorca) 4.00
17. Fosforito: Te Quiero Más Cada Día (1980) (Diaz) 2.49
18. Jacinto Almaden + Justo Badajoz: Hablo Con Mi Dios Y Le Digo (1971) (Traditional) 3.45 19. Rafael Romero: Los Olivaritos Del Valle (1967) ( (Traditional) 1.16
20. Rosa Duran: Zapateado De Las Campanas (1956) (Traditional) 4.07

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Paco de Lucia – Cositas Buenas (2004)

Cositas Buenas is an album featuring Paco de Lucía and directed by Paco de Lucía with the collaboration of Javier Limón.

The album has four bulerías, two rumba tracks, a tangos and a tientos.

On his first outing in five years, and the first of the new century, flamenco guitarist Paco De Lucia has given us one of the most sublime recordings in his long career. This collection of “Good Little Things” (Cositas Buenas) is a step away from Nuevo flamenco, and back to the grain of the source music itself. It is a record full of handclapped rhythms, organic spare percussion, and burning, passionate songwriting and singing. The various singers — including Paco himself — wail, chant, moan, and ecstatically intone his new songs to the sheer rough-hewn grace of his playing. Most tracks are done in the canonical style of guitar, and voice with handclap accompaniment, but there are two — the smoking, burning black soul of “El Dengue” and “Que Venga el Alba,” on which he is accompanied by another guitarist. On the album’s final cut, “Cassa Bernardo,” a rumba, Jerry Gonzalez adds his mariachi trumpet to the proceedings. Cositas Buenas is an album that careens across the history of flamenco. While rooted in antiquity, it nonetheless points the way to a new music, one that extrapolates rhythm and harmony and adds syncopation, texture, depth, and multi-layered harmonics to the original framework. It is transcendentally beautiful if overwhelming in its passion and the sheer joy of performance. Indeed, Cositas Buenas sets a new standard for modern flamenco music and acts as the true bridge between the ancient and the future. No one but a master who cares nothing for his laurels could have articulated such a work. (by Thom Jurek)

Personnel:
Juan D´Angellyca (guitar)
Jerry González (trumpet)
Paco de Lucía (guitar, vocals, lute, mandolin, bouzouki)
Alain Pérez (bass)
Piraña (percussion)
Alejandro Sanz (chordophone)
Tomatito (guitar)
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Guadiana, Antonio el Negro, Diego el Cigala Montse Cortés, Tana, Potito, Ángela Bautista (vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Patio Custodio (Bulerías) 4.44
02. Cositas Buenas (Good Little Things) (Tangos) 4.23
03. Antonia (Bulería por Soleá) 6.28
04. El Dengue (Rumba) 4.03
05. Volar (Bulerías) 5.30
06. El Tesorillo” (The Little Treasure) (Tientos) 4.39
07. Que Venga el Alba (Bulerías) 4.11
08. Casa Bernado (Rumba) 4.12

All songs written by Paco de Lucias

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Paco de Lucia
(21 December 1947 – 25 February 2014)
REST IN PEACE

Paco De Lucia & Sextet – Live In America (1993)

Recorded live in 1993 when Paco de Lucia was touring with his sextet, this is real artistry. De Lucia has never been afraid to push the boundaries of flamenco, and with his sextet he does just that. The music is moved by the spirit of the tradition, but never constrained by it.

Like his show, the music builds, as he begins solo on “Mi Niño Curro,” then other members join him before it all culminates in a gloriously grinning “Buana Buana King Kong.” There’s plenty of well-known de Lucia material here, like “Zyryab” and “Tio Sabas,” but on-stage there’s more freedom to stretch out than in the studio.

That he’s been influenced by his work with other guitarists is apparent in his approach, which sometimes takes on the colors of a jazz-flamenco fusion. But there are still plenty of moments of duende, the transcendence that’s all important in flamenco. And time and time again, de Lucia effortlessly proves he’s the world’s greatest living flamenco guitar player, with ideas, runs, and shifts that stagger the imagination.

About the only fault to find with this album is that it’s not long enough.

Personnel:
Carlos Benavent (bass, mandolin)
Rubem Dantasd (percussion)
Ramon De Algeciras (guitar)
Paco De Lucia (guitar)
Pepe De Lucia (vocals)
Jorge Pardo (saxophone, flute)
Manolo Soler (percussion)

Tracklist:
01. Mi Nino Curro (De Lucia) 8.31
02. La Bqarrosa (De Lucia) 8.54
03. Alcazar De Sevilla (De Lucia/De Lucia/Lencero/Amador) 8.54
04. Peroche (De Lucia/Benavent/Pardo/Canizares) 6.28
05. Tio Sabas (De Lucia) 6.34
06. Sonquete (De Lucia) 6.49
07. Zyryab (De Lucia) 12.53
08. Buana Buana King Kong (De Lucia/De Lucia) 5.15

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