Paco de Lucia’s Monasterio de Sal

If there is one single song in the world that deserves its own home page, it is Paco’s Monasterio de Sal [click with right button to download +192kbps high-quality MP3, Paco de Lucía & Carles Benavent ▸ 1975 • Entre dos aguas ▸ Monasterio de Sal] colombianas-type flamenco song. It is soberb.

From Solo Quiero Caminar, and Entre Dos Aguas albums, it is a duet with flamenco bass player Carles Benavent. I tend to see the hand of God in simple compositions or arrangements, but this song sounds to me extremely complex for both musicians, and they still can play together, being in the same time single extraordinary solits, and completing each other as one inseparable masterpiece.

If you tune your stereo left-right balance you’ll have a surprise. I have to admit that sometimes I prefer to listen only the left side. Yes, the left side.

Carles Benavent, as a co-star, excels in the entire song, but specially around this playing times: 0:45, 0:58-1:25, 2:01, 2:11, 2:38, 3:05, 3:30, 3:45, 4:00-4:06.

Paco de Lucia of course excels too specially in the inspired and soft introduction, and: 1:17-1:24, 1:30-1:46, 2:00-2:04, 2:10-2:14, ah…. nevermind…. it is all extremely beautiful. Tune your left-right balance and you’ll understand.