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July 16, 2008 - 1:23pm
#1
Paco De Lucia
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Oh yeah, that's playing the guitar.
I actually think that Di Meola and McLaughlin were out of there element in that concert. They were trying to match Paco and didn't have the chops. I'll admit, I've always hated that concert and maybe this is why. It always seemed like a terrible hodge podge of chopfest. Maybe it was all Paco's fault because he made the two other guys so insecure. (BTW, I love John and Al's other work, mostly).
Dave
ehhh. Out of their element?
I don't know about that. I'm assuming you're referring to the San Francisco concert. I think that the level of collaboration on that album/concert was enough so that none of them were out of their element. They had definitely played together before and each other's style is so incredibly different from the other.
Paco is hands down the best though. Then John. Then Al (although I like early Al more than John). I feel like Al later in his career just started playing way too fast, as you can see in that concert. Maybe its him trying to keep up, but in general, he moved his emphasis more towards shredding rather than phrasing.
No way! well maybe a little bit of a chopfest, but not a hodge podge. All that stuff had been written out and performed before either by those three or others. Frevo Rasgado by Gismonti and Tales of a Black Forest by Chick Corea (my favorite track on that album), are both well composed classics (plus a little Pink Panther bonus).
In comparison of the three again, Paco is undoubtedly the best, and probably the greatest guitarist of all time in all realms.
thats right. 
Al needs to get back on track. His style and tone in Return to Forever was classic (hopefully, he will kick just as much ass with them when I see them in August...reunion tour!). His early to mid 80s solo work is also very good. So was World Sinfonia. And John McLaughlin is a genius. He's so out. He's the Coltrane of guitar.
His left hand reminds me of that of a fine 'cellist - like a dancing spider. Magical.
Which album of his would you recommend?
From Paco, I would recommend definitely Siroco or Cositas Buenas.
For all three of the guys (De Lucia, McLaughlin, and Di Meola), get The Guitar Trio. It has a little less of what Dave was describing as "chopfest" and a more concentrated effort on making beautiful guitar music. I have also recently fallen in love with Passion, Grace, and Fire.
Finally, Castro Marin is simply beautiful, and features McLaughlin and Larry Coryell.
Thanks !
Well, I'll try it again. I've got about 500 guitar CDs and had this on the original vinyl and could just never understand it. Maybe in my "old age" it'll be clearer to me.
Tell me what you think after you give it another listen.