New York will pay tribute to guitarist Paco de Lucía through a major festival that will take place February 20 – 24, 2024, upon the tenth anniversary of the death of the genius from Algeciras whose influence has marked thousands of musicians around the world. 

Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, Symphony Space and up to six venues in the Big Apple will host the Paco de Lucia Legacy Festival, a major event celebrating the great flamenco revolutionary. Stars who were personally close to him, such as Al Di Meola and Rubén Blades will share the program with the main flamenco creators of the moment, from Diego El Cigala, José Mercé and Carmen Linares to Rafael Riqueni,  Niño Josele, and Farruquito , as well as musicians who shared the stage with Paco de Lucía, such as Jorge Pardo, Antonio Serrano, Rubem Dantas, José María Bandera, Antonio Sánchez, Israel Suárez ‘Piraña’, Alain Pérez and Carles Benavent, among others.

February 20-24 in New York
A grand opening night reception at the famous Carnegie Hall in Manhattan, scheduled for February 20, will mark the beginning of five intense days in which the composer of Solo Quiero Caminar (‘I Only Want to Walk”) and Entre Dos Aguas (“Between Two Waters”) will be recognized as the guitar legend that he is, a unique creator who transcended the limits of flamenco to leave a universal legacy.
Among the featured performances of the night will be  dance by Karime Amaya, Farru and Farruquito, the guitars of Al Di Meola, Josemi Carmona, Yerai Cortés, Antonio Rey, Rafael Riqueni, Niño Josele, J.M.Bandera and Pepe Habichuela, the voices of Rubén Blades, Diego ‘El Cigala’, Duquende, Chonchi Heredia, Salif Keita, Carmen Linares, José Mercé, Sílvia Pérez Cruz and Makarines, the bassists Carles Benavent and Alain Pérez together with the double bass of Javier Colina, the percussions of Rubem Dantas, Tino Di Geraldo and Israel Suárez ‘Piraña’, the kora by Madou Diabaté, the piano by Chano Domínguez, the flute by Jorge Pardo, the voice and cello by Nesrine Belmokh and the harmonica by Antonio Serrano.

After this first date, on February 21st, the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, with Arturo O’Farrill, Alex Conde and his Big Band will perform some of the maestro’s most emblematic songs at the Symphony Space, the book ‘El enigma Paco de Lucía’ (The Enigma Paco de Lucia) by César Suárez will be presented at the Instituto Cervantes, and the musician from Cadiz will be remembered with a concert at Le Poisson Rouge with Silvia Pérez Cruz, Jorge Pardo, Chano Dominguez and other flamenco stars.

On February 22, the percussionist El Piraña will give a rhythm master class at NYU King Juan Carlos Center, while at the Town Hall a gala called Flamenco Meets NY All Stars will promote an unprecedented meeting between flamenco artists and leading New York musicians. 

On February 23, Pepe Habichuela, Rafael Riqueni, and Carmen Linares will star in a recital at Instituto Cervantes in Puro Flamenco, and Al Di Meola , Antonio Rey , Antonio Sánchez, Antonio Serrano , Carles Benavent and many others will join in Fiesta Flamenca at Little Spain Market.

Finally, on February 24th, the film ‘La búsqueda’ (“The Search”) by the guitarist’s son, Curro Sánchez, followed by a concert at the Orensanz Foundation Synagogue, will culminate this multi-dimensional tribute.

For the organizers of the program, led by the Paco de Lucía Foundation, it is about claiming “the legacy and transcendence” of a personality and a career that changed the way of understanding flamenco and music in general. “His creative talent, his execution and his capacity for continuous innovation are recognized, beyond flamenco, by the best guitarists and musicians on the planet. There are few figures so indisputable in music. Few artists with such an extensive and enduring career without criticism. His is a case of genius, in every sense, exceptional.”

As for the Paco de Lucía Legacy Festival, more than 30 internationally renowned artists will pay their personal tribute to the master, “demonstrating that flamenco can cross borders and mix with other styles such as classical, jazz or Latin American music, once again promoting the cultural richness that exists in the inherent diversity of flamenco.”