Meet Jose Luis de la Paz | Flamenco Guitarist – Composer – Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jose Luis de la Paz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jose Luis, why did you pursue a creative career?

It is difficult for me to determine why I chosed an artistic career. Everything happened naturally, even though there were obstacles and sacrifices along the way.

I had my first guitar in my hands before I was one year old. That little guitar accompanied me for years. I remember loving to sit and play with my father. He was a guitar lover and played some songs at parties. But, at some point in my childhood I sensed that I wanted to take the guitar seriously and dreamed of being a guitarist.

I was around 6-8 years old when I went through several teachers who told my father he should find me better teachers. 

When I was 12, I found my first professional teacher, Antonio Sousa, a guitarist who accompanied flamenco singing. With him I learned to love flamenco and the guitar deeply. During that time that I realized that the guitar allowed me to break my shyness and gave me a kind of serenity that I cannot explain. I was always a shy child, who hid from people and liked solitude. The guitar gave me the space to be there with people without feeling intimidated.

And it was in 1983 that I met my Mentor Mario Escudero, a legend of flamenco concert guitar. He transmitted to me a legacy of guitar and flamenco that is impossible to value. I learned about composition, classical music, and guitar technique, it was a very complete lesson and its influence still endures in my music.

Not only Mario Escudero, but I also received influence from a special guitarist, who took off in the 70s and who went out shortly after due to being schizophrenic and ended up living on the streets. He was Niño Miguel. His strength and personality  influenced me a lot. My And also, in my generation, we were all influenced by the emergence of the brilliant Paco de Lucía, someone who led the concept of musical openness of the current flamenco guitar. Along with him, another Maestro who brought classical academicism to flamenco, Manolo Sanlúcar. And so, all these influences, my personality… they shaped me.

But returning to the question, why an artistic career?

And in these years everything happened in the midst of concerts, festivals and competitions. I won the National Prize in 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1989. And at the age of 14 I played my first concert as a soloist.

For all this it is difficult to explain how I became a guitar professional. It just happened.

But perhaps the trigger for all this was the feeling of happiness when playing. 

There is something that happen when I play that allows to me being present in the moment, and that changed my life.

Being a guitarist is for me a mixture of passion, pleasure and also effort and sacrifice. It didn’t matter losing friends, loves or plans. It was more important to play and play and keep playing.

All this give me a feeling of happiness and is still a source of happiness in my life. It doesn’t matter about money or fame. The fact of playing itself is already a reason to continue in this industry that has been so deformed and distorted in recent years.

The flamenco? It was always there, in my house, and around . It is the root of my music and I have made many collaborations with flamenco artists. My love for music also makes me curious and look for new sounds and textures and bring them to my compositions.

And I’m proud to say that I can dedicate myself to my job (which I don’t consider a “job”) full time and how much I love it. I have my own company, I have my band, I do my recording projects, my productions… and all that makes me happy… that’s why I dedicate myself to my career and I love everything that surrounds it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I have been a guitarist since I was just a child. I can’t even understand my life without a guitar in my hands. I also immediately realized that my guitar is the vehicle through which I can express my emotions and feelings.
However, my personality and my artistic curiosity have always led me to search the musical universe for everything that excites me and that drives me or challenges me to get out of my comfort zone, which made me to try to listen, learn and interact with other musicians and artists from other disciplines.

That mix of tradition and multiculturality allows me to enjoy the process of composition and playing guitar using flamenco structures or elements but bringing all that curiosity to the table.

Today who I am is a product of thousands of hours of study, hundreds of tours, trips to unknown places, cultural miscegenation and at the same time self-awareness of where I come from and my Andalusian identity.

Every obstacle can be seen as a challenge or an opportunity for continued learning.

The life of an artist is filled with highs and lows, requiring the ability to navigate them, maintain consistency, and stay true to your goals and artistic expression.

I try to approach all projects, even those less favored, with love, and relish the creative processes.

In my view, success in life is not measured by competition, followers, earnings, or fame; these are circumstantial.
To those who come after us, I would suggest that success and happiness are within us, in our personal growth across all aspects of life.

Ultimately, it’s about being able to reflect on our experiences, to say we enjoyed it, lived it, felt it… and that it was worth living.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
– Vizcaya (beautiful place) – Take a walk around Coral Gables and walk to Biltmore Hotel
– Design District…. walk and stop in some Galleries and restaurants. And the Wynwood walls, of course.
– If you like good cuban music and bohemian ambience, I recommend Desafinado’s at 57 ave (close to calle 8)
– I recommend Cava Restaurant to enjoy the buffet with typical home made food and flamenco shows thursday to sunday
– Go north and walk at the Orikami park

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My father and my family My friends in Spain who trust and support me always
My Mentor Mario Escudero
Maestros Niño Miguel and Antonio Sousa
Paco de Lucía
Cristina Hoyos
Siudy Garrido
And, in some level, all the people who fight to get their dreams; To those who enjoy music and who believe in music as a way of connecting with our essence, and makes us think, feel, be moved, and become better individuals.

Website: joseluisdelapaz.com

Instagram: @joseluisguitar

Facebook: @joseluisguitar

Youtube: https://youtube.com/joseluisdelapaz

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/artist/3jtwJddFiQJ

Image Credits
Estefani Torres Jose M Alconchel Personal Archive