Almoraima and Luiza are two beloved Paco albums that feature the oud on a few tracks. Others might be able to better share details on Paco's oud
playing, or the type of oud he played, but the first time I heard these tracks, I thought I might be hearing a bajo sexto, because the sound he gets
from the instrument is very different from Turkish or Arabic oud playing. Paco seemed to favor a deliberately "chorus-y" or slightly out of tune sound
from the unison strings within each course.
I think it adds a nice flavor to the recordings, but he certainly didn't approach oud with the seriousness that he treated the guitar. He seemed more
interested in using it as a little bit of spice within flamenco, and perhaps a tribute to the music's North African roots. |
