In Memoriam:Paco de Lucia

Perhaps the greatest guitarist in the world, Paco de Lucia  (1947-2014) died today in Mexico. Starting with an amazing Flamenco style, he expanded the guitar's horizons with an unheard of mastery. The mayor of his hometown, Algeciras, Spain, announced two days of official mourning.

Here's a video, Tico, Tico:

And a longer one, Entre Dos Aguas:

Rest in Peace.

An Age-Old Question.... and Answer

Question: How in the world can they do that?

Answer: Talent and practice, practice, practice!!

Came across this while music surfing on You Tube. Santana and Clapton. It doesn't get any better than this.



Double pleasure. Here's Clapton and others with blues legend, B. B. King.

Don't Let Your Jaw Drop Too Far

A Video of the week from TED.

Usman Riaz is a 21-year-old whiz at the percussive guitar, a style he learned to play by watching his heroes on YouTube. The TED Fellow plays onstage at TEDGlobal 2012 -- followed by a jawdropping solo from the master of percussive guitar, Preston Reed. And watch these two guitarists take on a very spur-of-the-moment improv.

“Throughout my guitar-playing career, I watched Preston Reed’s videos,” Riaz, a TEDGlobal Fellow, told the TED blog after the performance. “On stage, [Reed] was in the exact same pose as in the videos, with his hair hanging down from his right side, playing the guitar. It was funny to look over my shoulder and see him doing the same thing.”

A Lot of Rock N' Roll

...and all in just over 12 minutes.

100 great rock n' roll riffs played in one take.

Yeah, it will take 12 minutes of your day, but see which ones make you smile.



HT to the Awesomer

In Memoriam: Doc Watson

They don't come any better than Doc Watson who died yesterday at age 89. He made the acoustic guitar do things no one else could.

According to an article from the AP:

In 2011, a life-size statue of Watson was dedicated in Boone, North Carolina. At Watson's request the inscription read, "Just One of the People," echoing a statement he'd once made ... about how he'd like to be remembered.

"Just as a good ol' down-to-earth boy that didn't think he was perfect and that loved music," Watson said. "And I'd like to leave quite a few friends behind and I hope I will. Other than that, I don't want nobody putting me on a pedestal when I leave here. I'm just one of the people ... just me."

Here he is, just a month ago, at Merlefest with the Nashville Bluegrass Band. (Note: he is 89 years old!!!)



Here's a solo of "Deep River Blues":



And if you think he is "just" a folk guitarist, how about "Summertime" with his grandson Richard.



If that doesn't convince you, listen as he plays along with Jeff Little on "I Am a Pilgrim":



And finally, "I Lay My Burdens Down" with his son, Merle, finally now reunited after years apart.



Doc, thanks for years of great music. R.I.P.