| Flamenco Guitar, and the dance and culture that are | | | | years, and establish Paco as a major force on the |
| part of it, have a long and varied history. TOO LONG | | | | Flamenco guitar scene. |
| to go into here. | | | | Feeding the Flame |
| Distinctive - not Original | | | | Since then, with his own compositions, built on traditional |
| What is obvious when you examine what we | | | | Famenco roots, and his forays into Jazz(most |
| generally refer to as "Flamenco Music", is that it is a | | | | noteably with Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin) Paco |
| hybrid. Composed of elements of other previous | | | | continues to innovate and expand the frontiers of |
| musical traditions. The Romans and Greeks, particularly. | | | | Spanish Music. |
| Even the Italians are represented. As two of their | | | | Now there is a new generation of Spanish guitarists. |
| most celebrated composers, Scarlatti and Boccherini | | | | Who, like Paco, have absorbed and incorporated other |
| resided in the Kings palace in Madrid during the early | | | | influences, while respecting their unique musical |
| Renaissance. | | | | heritage. One of the most gifted and inventive of this |
| The Big Two | | | | new breed is Santiago Cortez. |
| But the two greatest contributors to the evolution of | | | | Like Paco, his original compositions are inspired by a |
| Flamenco Music as we know it today, were the | | | | wide variety of musical idioms. Jazz, Rock, Pop, |
| Moors, who inhabited Granada for more than 800 | | | | Reggae, Soul, Folk and World. Just to name a few! |
| years, and the gypsy tribes that roamed the | | | | Santiago's "rainbow" of musical colors is best |
| Mediterranean. | | | | appreciated on his aptly titled, "Hybrid" CD. Here he |
| The Main Man | | | | displays an amazing variety of styles, tempos, and |
| Perhaps the leading contemporary advocate and | | | | moods. Which while totally originally, are familiar without |
| innovator of Flamenco is the Andulsian Guitarist, Paco | | | | being derivative. Also refreshing is the fact that |
| de Lucia. A child prodigy, with a unwavering | | | | Santiago's impressive technique never overpowers his |
| self-discipline, the young Paco passed untold hours in | | | | exquisite gift for melodic expression. |
| his room practicing. When he felt he was ready, Paco | | | | In addition to "Hybrid", Santiago has three other CD's - |
| was fortunate to get a huge"lucky break. " | | | | "Colors of Spain", "Whispers of Spain", and "Amora |
| Accompanying the legendary Flamenco singer | | | | Musicale. |
| Carmen de la Istra. A lucky break that was to last 8 | | | | |