Paco de Lucía Plays Kimmel Center, 4/10

Inarguably the most iconic artist of Spanish musical culture and heritage, Paco de Lucía tours the United States for the first time since 2007, with a Philadelphia performance scheduled for April 10, 2012 at 8pm at Verizon Hall. The tour coincides with the release of his new double disc album, En Vivo: Conciertos De España 2010, to be released on April 3. His 17-city tour kicks off at the Heineken Jazz Festival in Puerto Rico on April 1 and concludes in Austin on May 2. 

En Vivo: Conciertos De España 2010 was recorded during De Lucía’s 2010 live concert tour in Spain and celebrates the heritage of the Spanish guitar and beyond.

En Vivo captures an anthology of his most iconic compositions, masterfully reinterpreted by de Lucía and his new lineup of young musicians, including his nephew Antonio Sanchez on second guitar, the virtuoso harmonica player Antonio Serrano and Cuban Latin/jazz electric bass player Alain Pére. The tour also showcases two renowned vocalists, Duquende and David de Jacoba; acclaimed percussionist Israel Suarez “Piraña”; and the rising young dancer "Farruco." 

Known for his dazzling speed and technical dexterity, De Lucía has been established as the most influential flamenco artist of the past three decades. His prolific repertoire spans from the traditional classics to the avant-garde flamenco-jazz fusion which became his trademark sound in the 1980’s. De Lucía’s groundbreaking collaborations and participation in notable soundtracks including Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) have established him as the best of the best.

Tickets for Paco de Lucía are available at $35 to $67, and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office located on Broad and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, Pa. (open daily from 10am to 6pm, later on performance evenings).