Flamenco Passion – A Tribute to Paco de Lucia (Storyville Records, 2023)
The Danish ensemble Flamenco Passion joins forces with three world-class soloists – the master guitarist Mikkel Nordsø, violinist Bjarke Falgren, and harmonica player Mathias Heise – on their latest album, aptly titled “A Tribute to Paco de Lucia.”
Flamenco Passion is undoubtedly one of Scandinavia’s foremost fusion groups, with guitarist Poul Jacek Knudsen at the helm, accompanied by the talented bassist Nicolai Land and percussionist Anders Pedersen. This remarkable album pays homage to the late flamenco guitar icon, Paco de Lucia, whose influence has resonated deeply with countless flamenco artists and renowned jazz musicians like Chick Corea and George Benson. Within the repertoire presented, you’ll find original Flamenco Passion compositions, a piece by Paco de Lucia himself, and two tracks composed by the exceptional Mikkel Nordsø.
Poul Jacek Knudsen has graced numerous flamenco ensembles, both as a soloist and as an accompanist to vocalists and dancers. He has collaborated with famed Spanish artists such as Lucia Alvarez “La Piñona” and Lakshmi Basile “La Chimi,” as well as his guitar mentor Antonio Jero and the talented singer Juan Murube, who contributes palmas (handclaps) and jaleos (cheerful calls of encouragement) on this extraordinary album.
Mikkel Nordsø, a Danish guitar legend in his own right, not only leads his own band, the Mikkel Nordsø Band but has also had the privilege of playing alongside luminaries such as Palle Mikkelborg, Terri Lyne Carrington, George Duke, David Sanborn, and Lisa Nilsson, among others.
Renowned for his mastery of the violin, Bjarke Falgren is a musical virtuoso. He boasts four Grammy Awards and stands as one of Denmark’s most esteemed and recognized violinists. Throughout his career, Falgren has released 11 albums, contributed to television and theater projects, and collaborated with esteemed musicians like Mads Mathias, Mathias Heise, and Jacob Fischer.
Mathias Heise, hailed as one of the world’s preeminent harmonica players, clinched the title of Chromatic Harmonica World Champion in 2013. His exceptional talent has garnered him prestigious accolades such as The Danish Crown Prince Couple’s Stardust Award and the Ben Webster Prize, where he holds the distinction of being the youngest-ever recipient. Heise has recently had the honor of performing alongside harmonica player Antonio Serrano, who was once part of Paco de Lucia’s renowned ensemble.
Here’s the lineup for the album: Poul Jacek Knudsen: guitar/handclaps; Mikkel Nordsø: guitar , octave guitar; Bjarke Falgren: violin; Mathias Heise: chromatic harmonica; Nicolai Land: bass; Anders Pedersen: cajón/percussion; Juan Murube: jaleo/handclaps.
buy A Tribute to Paco de Lucia.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.