No two musicians have done more to bring Spanish music to global prominence than siblings Pepe De Lucía and Paco De Lucía. With a dogged determination and a revolutionary zest they completely overhauled traditional music from their native Spain and paved the way for the nuevo flamenco movement that came to prominence in the late 1970s. Featuring the very first sound recordings of the brothers (when Paco was 11 and Pepe 13), Las Grabaciones Perdidas De Pepe De Lucía Y Paco De Lucía dates from 1959 and collects 21 tracks that give an intriguing glimpse at two visionary musicians in their infancy.

The first thing that jumps from these grooves is how mature both Pepe and Paco sound. These recordings are a full two years before their official debut in 1961 as Los Chiquitos de Algeciras (The little ones from Algeciras) and while it’s true that they’d been schooled in music from a young age, there’s a confidence here that belies their years and it’s a self-belief that’s jaw-droppingly assured. Despite the rudimentary recording facilities (the brothers were captured on an old Grunding tape recorder) you can hear the genesis of their genius loud and clear. Paco’s deceptively simple style is very much in evidence here; he not only plays on the downswing when he strums the chords, but on the upswing too. There’s a duality to his playing that’s like a magician’s sleight of hand; there’s a simple rhythm atop, whilst underneath there’s a world of invention going on. Already you can hear the essence of what would make him such a unique player, he has absorbed his natural surroundings; it sounds as if his guitar has been baking on hot sand and his strings basking in the Algeciras sunshine. He is one of the few musicians who can transport the listener to a specific time and place, and that’s precisely what he does on these 21 songs.

What Paco does with his guitar, Pepe replicates with his vocals. He makes every word, every inflection, count and you can hear emotion reverberating from every note. Take ‘Se Comerá Mi Dolor’ for example, his tender voice whips around the guitar like a flag around a pole, and the guitar and vocals in tandem make for an arresting experience. I can guarantee that you’ll stop whatever you are doing when ‘Se Comerá Mi Dolor’ tumbles from the speakers, and even after 65 years it has the power to move the listener in a way that much modern music can’t. When the two perform together (some of these tracks have Paco flying solo and delivering the kind of virtuosity that’ll make aspiring guitarists weep) you’ll wonder how a duo can produce such a warm, textured sound. They’ll have your ears constantly pinging in different directions as the pair unleash all sorts of auditory magic and enchant you with their siren’s song.

The charmingly elementary nature of these recordings only adds to their allure, and they waft to us as if ghosts from another era, but that in no way negates their power and they sound as powerful in 2024 as they did in 1959.

• Las Grabaciones Perdidas De Pepe De Lucía Y Paco De Lucía is released via BMG Recoeds on 31st May 2024.

Vinyl Track List:

Side A:

1. Me Falta La Resistencia – Tangos De La Pirula De Maìlaga
2. Al Pilarico Por Agua – Buleriìas Por Soleaì
3. Romance De Juan Osuna – Seguiriyas Tientos
4. Aunque Pongan En Tu Puerta – Alegriìas
5. Se Comeraì Mi Dolor – Soleares
6. La Corales – Cupleì por Buleriìas

Side B:

7. Que Viene El Coco – Rumba
8. Buleriìas NinÞo Ricardo – Solo de Guitarra
9. De Alfombra De Rosas – Liviana
10. Con Su RebanÞo – Serrana
11. Que El Viento Se La Llevoì – Polo

Side C:

12. Voy A Tener Que Dejarte – Fandangos Naturales
13. Escucha Lo Que Te Digo – Buleriìas
14. Con Una Rosa El Pico – Fandango Santa Eulalia
15. Las Estrellitas Del Cielo – Villancico Por Buleriìas
16. Zapateado NinÞo Ricardo – Solo De Guitarra

Side D:

17. Entre Compaìs Y Desplantes – Soleares De Caìdiz
18. Amante De Abril Y Mayo – Cupleì Por Buleriìas
19. Lo Que Pasoì En Veracruz – Soleares De Triana/Apolaìs
20. Caminito De Alcalaì – Buleriìas
21. Soleaì NinÞo Ricardo – Solo De Guitarra

CD/Download Track List:

As Vinyl; tracks 1 through 21