ALICANTE PROVINCIAL AUDITORIUM — Mejorazz Tribute to Paco de Lucía and modern flamenco interpretations

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ALICANTE PROVINCIAL AUDITORIUM

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Anthony Serrano and others

Paco de Lucía left an undeniable mark on flamenco through a life of vibrant technique, fearless experimentation, and a relentless flow of melody. His work created a before and after in the genre, infusing rhythm, touch, and harmony with a vitality that continues to illuminate the paths chosen by countless musicians. The recent Mejorazz concert at ADDA offered a respectful nod to that legacy, weaving in key pieces that echoed de Lucía while presenting fresh voices and arrangements that stood on their own.

As a guide through the evening, the gifted Antonio Serrano impressed with a chromatic harmonica capable of reaching every note and tonal center, a contrast to the limitations sometimes found in diatonic instruments. Carles Benavent re-emerged on the scene, reminding audiences of his electric bass flamenco roots after his early association with Tino di Geraldo. Paco de Lucía’s nephew, Antonio Sánchez, shared the stage alongside guitars of similar lineage, joined by percussionist José Manuel Ruiz Motos and singer Rafael de Utrera.

Serrano’s compact woodwind voice carried surprising weight, catalyzing a sense of vastness within intimate passages. The strings blended softness with sudden bursts and lunges, while Benavent contributed a distinct, boundary-pushing sound that widened the sonic horizon. Bandolero provided percussion with a precise, controlled energy, never overpowering the overall texture. De Utrera’s voice rose and fell with the mood of the songs, delivering lines like “Ábreme la puerta” or the hopeful tone of “Alegría de vive” a ode to the Ketama era and its modern interpretations. This rendition especially drew from the spirit of Ray Heredia and the revolutionary atmosphere of his solo project Quien no corre, volar, creating a bridge between tradition and contemporary sensibility.

Through the lens of de Lucía’s influence, the concert reframed flamenco with the sensibility of jazz, a blend he once championed by integrating improvisational language into structured forms. The performers carried that spirit forward, interpreting emotion and technique with a sense of reverence and curiosity. It was evident that de Lucía’s footprint persisted not as a mimicry but as inspiration for new interpretive paths and collaborative ideas. The prevailing message was clear: presentation matters. The performers did not imitate exactly; they contributed something unique while acknowledging the maestro’s deep imprint on the repertoire and approach.

The harmonica exchanges between Serrano and Sánchez became a signature moment of the program, echoing the collaborative spirit captured on the album The Paco de Lucía project (2018). That live recording united a group of musicians who paid homage to the legend while contributing their own voices to the celebration. The performances included rumba pieces such as Playa del Carmen and Zyriab, tapping into the so-called new flamenco that gained widespread appeal during the 1980s and has since maintained a broad audience appeal. The overall effect was both a tribute and a fresh invitation for listeners to hear flamenco through a contemporary, luminous lens. (Citation: Flamenco Archives)

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