MusicKnowsNoBordersatVPAC(TheSoraya) FeverishandFierce!FlamencoLegendsbyJavierLimón:ThePacodeLucíaProjectCelebratesthe50thAnniversaryofthelegendaryflamencoguitarist’sfirstsolorecording

Saturday,November4at8:00pm(LosAngeles,CA)October11,2017—Forfiftyyears,thefeverishandfierceartofflamencoguitarhasspreadlikewildfirefromSpaintopointsaroundtheglobe,ignitedbythelatePacodeLucía.Honoringthatlegacy,JavierLimón,producerofPaco’slaterGRAMMY-winningalbums,reassemblestheoriginalbandthattouredwithPacodeLucíainthistributeperformance,ThePacodeLucíaProjectarrivingatValleyPerformingArtsCenter(TheSoraya)onSaturday,November4at8:00pm.“Thisseason,morethananypreviousone,VPAC’sMusicKnowsNoBordersprogrammingbringstoLosAngelesartistsfromaroundtheglobe,artistswhostandasproofthatbyshiningabrightlightonourdifferences,weaffirmhowmuchwehaveincommon,”saidThorSteingraber,VPACExecutiveDirector.“ThePacoLuciaProjectistheperfectseasoncurtainraiserasflamencomusicistheembodimentofthemixtureandblendingofculturesandcommunitiescreatingitsownindividualsoundthatiscelebratedworld-wide.”“MusicKnowsNoBordersisafact,”saidSpanishcomposerandproducerJavierLimon.“Musicisthelanguageoftheworld.Asamusicianyoucanspeakwithanyonefromthefirstnotewithoutspeakingaword.Withflamenco,wenowhaveartistsfromallovertheworldtohelpuscreatesomethingextraordinary.”AboutThePacodeLucíaProjectThePacodeLucíaProject,createdbyGrammy-winningproducerandcomposerJavierLimón,alongtimecollaboratorandfriendofdeLucía,bringsbacktogetherthegroupforacelebrationofPacoandhislegacy.Notably,thistourtakesplaceonthe50thanniversaryofthereleaseofdeLucía´sfirstrecording,aptlytitledLaFabulosaGuitarradePacodeLucía(TheFabulousGuitarofPacodeLucia)(1967)Intheearly1980s,guitaristandcomposerPacodeLucíaassembledasextetthat,initsinstrumentationandjazz-likeapproach,wouldforeverchangethesoundofflamenco.Itwouldtaketheguitarist20yearstoputtogetheranothergroupthatwouldprovidehimwithboththesupportandpushforhistalentandhisvision.Thenucleusofthebandcametogetherin2004,attherecordingofdeLucia´sLatinGrammy-winningCositasBuenas,(GoodLittleThings)andgrewintoacollectionofexceptionalyoungtalent

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includinghisnephew,AntonioSánchezonguitar;AlainPérezonbass;IsraelSuárez"Piraña,"percussion;AntonioSerrano,harmonica;DaviddeJacoba,singerandAntonioFernandez"Farruco"(a/k/a“Farru”),dancer.Withthisgroup,PacodeLucía(bornFranciscoGustavoSánchezGomez)touredandperformedforthenexttenyears.ButdeLucíadiedunexpectedlyofaheartattackinMexicoonFebruary25,2014.Hewas66.Hispassingseemedtoalsomarktheendofhisgroup.Itdidnot."Forusit'satributetoagenius,ateacher,apartnerinsomanyadventuresandsomeonewelovedverymuch,"saysdeLucía’snephew,AntonioSánchez.“InthisprojecteachoneofuscontributesourparttocelebratePacoandhiswork.Serranoissuchabrilliantharmonicaplayer;Pirañaisthebestpercussionistinthehistoryofflamenco;AlainisatremendousmusicianandcomposerandFarruandDavidaregreatatwhattheydo."Sánchez,thesonofPaco'solderbrother,alsonamedAntonioSánchez,startedplayingataveryyoungageunderthewatchfuleyeofhisuncles,PacodeLucíaandRamóndeAlgeciras,andhiscousinJ.MBandera.SánchezalsostudiedwithJuanManuelCañizares,anotherflamencoguitarandcompositionluminary.Antoniothenworkedwithdancecompaniesandintablaos(flamencoclubs),mostnotablythepopulartablaoCordobésdeBarcelonaandin2010,joinedhisuncleasasecondguitar,replacingthen-buddingflamencostarNiñoJosele.Onstage,deLucíagavehisband"alotoffreedom,"saidSánchez."Withhisfirstsextethehadtocreateeverythingfromzero,therewerenomodels,"hesaid."ThemembersofourbandgrewuplisteningtoPaco,sowearrivedwithourhomeworkdone.Thedynamicwasdifferent."PerhapsmirroringMilesDavis´sapproach,whofamouslytoldhismusicianshepaidthem"torehearseonstage,"deLucíadidn´trehearsehisband,recalledSánchez.Itwasastrategythatcreatedacreativetension,that"inperformance,forcedustobemorein-the-moment,"hesaid.Andafterall,henoted,"thelanguageofagroupisnotmadeofwordsbutoflistening,ofpayingattentionandtakingchances."Forthistour,theprogramwillconsistsofdeLucía'sjewelssuchas"Zyryab,""CancióndeAmor,"and"EntredosAguas,"aswellasoriginalmusicbythemembersoftheband."ItakecarryingonPaco'smusicwithgreathumility.It'sagreatchallenge,"saidSánchezwho,bycarryingPaco´sfamilynameandbeingtheguitaristinthegroup,hastheaddedburdenof"playingPaco.""Thenameisaburdenonlyifyoudon´tstudy,ifyoudon´tapplyyourselfandwork.Icomefromaveryhumblefamily.Thatdoesn´taffectme.Asaguitarist,itfallsonmetopresenthiswork,butthisprojectisbyallofus.Theimportantthingsherearethemusicandthegroup."Formoreinformationandtopurchasetickets,pleasevisitValleyPerformingArtsCenter.orgorcall(818)677-3000.ThemediasponsorisKCET.AboutValleyPerformingArtsCenter(TheSoraya)LaunchingitsseventhseasoninSeptember,themissionoftheValleyPerformingArtsCenteristopresentawidevarietyofperformancesthatnotonlyincludesnewandoriginalworkfromtheLosAngelesregionbutalsoworkfromaroundtheworldthatappealtoallofLA’srichanddiversecommunities.VPAC’s2017-18seasonsignalsaneweraforthepremiereventvenue.UndertheleadershipofExecutiveDirectorThorSteingraber,therenamedYounesandSorayaNazarianPerformingArtsCenter(TheSoraya)expandsitsprogrammingandoutstandingmultidisciplinaryperformances.Locatedonthecampusof

CaliforniaStateUniversity,Northridge,TheSoraya’sseasonoffersavibrantperformanceprogramofnearly50classicalandpopularmusic,dance,theater,familyandinternationaleventsthatwillservetoestablishTheSorayaastheintellectualandculturalheartoftheSanFernandoValley,andfurtherestablishitselfasoneofthetopartscompaniesinSouthernCalifornia.Theaward-winning,1,700-seattheatrewasdesignedbyHGAArchitectsandEngineersandwasrecentlycitedbytheLosAngelesTimesas“agrowinghubforlivemusic,dance,dramaandotherculturalevents.”CalendarListingforFlamencoLegendsbyJavierLimón:ThePacodeLucíaProjectDate: Saturday,November4at8:00pmPrices: Startat$33.00.Pricessubjecttochange.Venue: ValleyPerformingArtsCenter 18111NordhoffStreet,Northridge,CA91330 Tickets: ByPhone:(818)677-3000

Online:ValleyPerformingArtsCenter.org

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