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The masterful guitarist from Algeciras José Carlos Gómez, a resident of Sotogrande for some years, sat down with Sotogrande Magazine to talk about how marvellous and demanding the world of music and guitar playing is. About unforgettable experiences like playing for the Pope and one million people, performing ‘Corazón Partio’ (Broken Heart) alongside Alejandro Sanz in a packed stadium or the art of composition and aesthetics following the release of his latest work ‘Pasaje Andaluz’ (Andalusian Landscape), presented for the first time in our country at the Teatro Juan Luis Galiardo during the events of Andalusia Day. A native of Algeciras in Sotogrande, a guitarist and flamenco performer, who venerates the figure of Paco de Lucía, and already enjoying the hard prize of being recognised by the public of his region.
The art of ‘speaking with hands’ Where did your passion for guitar come from? For
as long as I can remember I have been glued to my guitar. This is somewhat particular as in my family there had been no background of artists and I am not really sure where this passion comes from but it is obvious that is was something innate within me. I remember being very young, aged just two or three, being absorbed watching
Paco de Lucía playing on a black and white television. There are no memories in my life that the guitar doesn´t play a part in. A native of Algeciras, I imagine that it wasn´t hard to have mentors... The first
teacher they got me was Flores “el gaditano” (from the famous musical trio Los Gaditanos). When he no longer knew what to teach me, he spoke to Salva-
dor Andrades and convinced him to give me classes. It was a nice time, he would put on tapes of Paco de Lucía and I learned a lot. Along with that, I was lucky in that my father spent his youth growing up next to the family of Paco de Lucía, which enabled me to get in touch with them from a young age and I formed a great relationship. I remember Ramón coming home from holidays with an enormous
“The guitar is REALLY DEMANDING, if you go a day without playing you note it. We are like elite sportspeople”
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video camera from Japan, that didn´t even exist here, and recording me playing at his house in Rinconcillo. It was really lucky to meet them and to have maintained that relationship over time with Paco de Lucía, Pepe de Lucía and José María Bandera. That enabled me to experience incredible things. Summers with Alejandro Sanz on the beach or a season with Ramón de Algeciras in Madrid.