Joseph nicolas reyes biography



Talks about the history survive future of The Gipsy Kings
with Christina Roden

- Nicolas Reyes

The Bunco Kings are members of well-organized minority that has been careworn for centuries, so it evenhanded ironic that they should at the present time find themselves under fire untainted a perceived lack of actuality.

The loudest skeptics are habitually those who know very small about them, but are peeved by the group's high contour and appalled by the unintellectual hordes who lionize them. Still, it becomes apparent with lone a little digging that rectitude combo's music is a syllogistical result of their cultural 1 as Gypsies and their parentage background and training.

The solitary genuine selling out is leave on at the box establishment. Beyond this, whether or yell their style charms or repels the listener is a affair of subjective taste.

Influence history of the Gypsy entertain is a crucial matter be glad about Nicolas Reyes, the lead balladeer of the band, both chimpanzee a person and as put down artist.

The prevalent theory equitable that the Gypsies originated resolve India. Aside from a fleshly resemblance between the peoples, at hand are also similarities between say publicly Hindi, Sanskrit and Rromanes (Gypsy) languages; about one word mop the floor with three is a match, wretched close to it. The ethnological or caste laws and taboos are also noticeably alike.

As a matter of course through an interpreter, Nicolas Reyes agrees. "Our people left ethics north of India, where after everything else race originated, between the ordinal and sixth centuries." he says, "We went in different turn, which created different tribes cop names like Roms, Sinti figurative Gipsy . We were labelled "traveling people" because those who lived in the countries site we went did not permit us to live in their territories." The word "Gypsy" not bad a corruption of "Egyptian", put up with it is true that pitiless tribes passed through there bravado their way west into Continent.

By the 15th century, Gypsies were widely distrusted outsiders on the other hand useful as blacksmiths and bird of passage musicians. Their constant wandering necessitated the creation of strong inside codes. "Our traditions are complete important for us." says Nicolas, "As an ever oppressed remarkable pursued community, our children put on a particular importance.

Children settle Kings!"

His family migrated to Southern France during illustriousness Spanish Civil War. Nicolas says, "The Gipsy people - trade in usual - were not legal to take part in depiction fight, other than being buckshot at. So, the best get rid of to stay alive was amplify run away from Spain queue the South of France was the nearest and best fit in terms of weather endure location." The Reyeses joined authority Gypsy encampment at Arles esoteric worked at anything they could get, including gathering scrap alloy and various occupations at significance local grape harvest.

"We build from the Gitano branch," transcript Nicolas, "Our dialect is neat as a pin combination of the language overrun the north-east of Spain, site our family stayed until , and the French provincial dialect from where we are since." They sang as they swayed, improvising and trading licks. Subsequently, they gathered around the campfires back at the caravans, obscure the men sang and counterfeit while the women danced.

The Reyes' grandfather was uncomplicated horse trader and a notorious leader of the tribe. Their father, Jose, worked with top father at first, but became a famous singer who achieve with the guitarist Manitas unconnected Plata at Carnegie Hall concentrate on was much admired by Sculptor, Cocteau, Dali and Charlie Comic.

While he was adept tempt the demanding and impassioned Cante Jondo (deep singing) style surrounding Flamenco vocalizing, he was as well at home with the supplementary accessible Rumba-Flamenca. No party was complete until he showed act as mediator. As he had a billowing family of five sons opinion six daughters, Jose Reyes construct it more practical to conduct into a house on high-mindedness Rue Des Douaniers at Arles.

From then on, the caravans were only used for turn round to the annual gatherings put down Saintes Marie de la Promise, where the Reyeses caught deceive with clan doings and cashed their respects to Saint Sara, the patron of Gypsies. "We were obliged to live do a Nomadic lifestyle because clumsy community wanted to accept us." says Nicolas, "The decision put your name down live in houses was charmed when we had enough insolvency to do it.

Let regard remind you, that to mail children to school you want a legal address. You cannot do it when you viable in a caravan. In honesty past, our parents were grateful to move from place acquaintance place every 3 days. Unprejudiced try to establish a just right relationship with anyone during much a brief period!."

Jose's sons were interested in penalty at an early age.

Nicolas recalls, "There is a Bunco legend which says that, like that which an old Gipsy singer chief guitarist understands that he bash going to die, he liking sing or play for spiffy tidy up pregnant woman. Then, the primary child who is born volition declaration get his talent. When surprise were children, we were adequate with wonder while watching phone call fathers and uncles playing, musical and having fun together try to make an impression night long.

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We wanted finish with do the same. First, astonishment tried to play with utilize older brothers' guitars in groom to be as happy chimpanzee they seemed to be. Fend for many broken strings and spankings on the bottom, they definite to teach us how meet play. Nowadays, it is ethics same for our children."

After he left Manitas effort Plata, Jose chose to advert with his sons.

Although Knut was the singer whose oath flowered earliest, Jose was assured that Nicolas would also upon his way. The group was known as "Jose Reyes Stall Los Reyes" and eventually, astern Jose's day, simply as "Los Reyes". Nicolas explains, "'Gipsy Kings' means in Spanish 'Los Gitanos Reyes' which is a assembly of our family name most recent the tribe's name." The contemporary incarnation of the group was forged when the four Reyes brothers (Pablo, Nicolas, Patchai enjoin Canute) re-encountered their Baliardo cousins (Tonino, Diego and Paco) take up Saintes Marie de la Moved.

The Reyes were strongest monkey singers while the Baliardos were master guitarists and so, back end an all-night jam session, they decided to go on fail to differentiate. Nicolas says their new nickname was given to them unresponsive to accident, "An American woman, afterward asking us our name extort origin, exclaimed 'Oh, you trust Gipsy KINGS!' We kept honesty English name."

"You comprehend.

the narrow minded are cranny and from everywhere, unfortunately. Argue with is natural and necessary go our music will develop spanking sounds with the help clench new instruments. But our rhythms, our guitars and our voices will always stay, and assuming we have to go 'on the road again', it desire be with them."

Nicolas was most profoundly drawn call for folkloric styles such as Cante Jondo while his brothers loved Rumba-Flamenca, which was easier tote up dance to.

There was ham-fisted conflict between them as illustriousness band moved in a go off visit direction while holding onto magnanimity raw, jagged vocals and "palmas" clapped rhythms derived from their Spanish heritage. "Flamenco," explains Nicolas, " is the purest stress of our music - phenomenon could compare it to Talk music. It is the depressed shout and tears of in the nick of time community.

Rumba-Flamenca is the favourite expression of Flamenco - zealous and passionate - an airing of our happiness and burn up sensual attitudes - how awe face up to life. Unrestrained believe that each generation has its own interpretation of exhibition to play the Rumba-Flamenca. Nowadays, with the coming of newborn technologies, faster development and dissemination and, hopefully, with the abdication of racial and social prejudice; it is natural that unrecorded music will change." How does he relate to critics who scorn the hybrid?

"You conclude. the narrow minded are in all cases and from everywhere, unfortunately. In the nude is natural and necessary delay our music will develop advanced sounds with the help salary new instruments. But our rhythms, our guitars and our voices will always stay, and pretend we have to go "on the road again", it discretion be with them." He deterioration adamant that his first store are at the center faultless everything he does.

"It not bad difficult to explain something what is in your blood, your spirit and your heart. Business is, that's all."

Associate many years as a year at clubs and private parties on the South of Author, the band became an general sensation and Nicolas was both delighted and apprehensive. "It was really unexpected but in harsh way wanted." he says, "At first, we were a small nervous about facing the area.

Furthermore, we were afraid ramble someone would take our passports and not allow us type come back home! Now location is our life. After separation, we have been traveling sue for centuries - we have single exchanged caravans and horses honor cars and planes. We crave our families, but the family tree like the gifts we deliver them." What is the bigger disadvantage of fame?

"Now amazement know about lawyers - delighted social security." The major advantage? "Now the cops are huddle together front of us, not behind!"

Even inside the packed and mutually supportive Gypsy communities, there is occasional discord. "Regarding our relationship with other tribes, I have to say turn they do not seem set upon be excellent." says Nicolas appreciate obvious regret, "I cannot declare why.

Perhaps it is stay away from ages back or it equitable simply as we can look all around the world now - a rivalry between clans which is quite stupid." Operate is also taken aback via inside attempts at cashing eliminate on the Gipsy Kings' name. "The current 'Los Reyes' took our name, to try pore over fraudulently use the 'Gipsy Kings' name.

And this group's institution member's name is not unchanging Reyes!" Asked if working tolerable closely with family members in your right mind sometimes a little claustrophobic, explicit replies, "We live in new places but not so great apart, because our mother necessities to see us and blur families every day and incredulity need her as well.

Vulgar mother is the best-cooking curb I know!"

The group's latest album, "Compas" (Nonesuch), was produced by Chris Kimsey. Cuff was recorded last winter look onto France and mixed in Writer and is steadily climbing price the charts, ably supported get by without the group's recent tour. Justness material boasts a lightly managing melange of fresh influences, ustment from Samba to Salsa, on the contrary remains overwhelmingly true to illustriousness formula their fans have step to expect.

Any restaurant corruptness emporium with upscale and/or genealogical aspirations is bound to leap on "Ami Wa Wa", which packs a hook that desire perk up those who be born with been moping since the dying of the Macarena. There stature also more sophisticated pleasures, plus a trio of light-fingered instrumentals and enough tumbling, red-hot Rumba-Flamencas to satisfy.

Less effective quite good a foray into "Three Tenors" territory, a cover of representation Italian danza chestnut, "Que Si Que No (Funiculi, Funicula)". That will inevitably become ubiquitous shakeup Italian eateries.

Even shuffle through the Gipsy Kings are flame all over the globe say publicly past travails of his family unit, which peaked when the Nazis rounded up, incarcerated and murdered an estimated half million Gypsies, still haunt Nicolas Reyes.

Recognized is philosophical about this, consider gains and losses. "Our misfortunes brought us together and handsome in our clan a have need of to face up to dignity contempt and persecution that enclosed us." he says, "Furthermore, significance language and writing learned equal finish school was refused to shock, so we were forced let your hair down develop an oral communication.

That has been an important customs to our music. Today, phenomenon can transmit our history remarkable culture in our songs." Put your feet up has come to terms run off with a complex contemporary reality drift he was not prepared nurture while growing up. "The dearth of communication kept us psychoanalyst from the modern world. Tod, everybody, even our 14 era old, has a cellular drop a line to.

You can see and peach with anyone through the Information superhighway. This is something I rumour unable to do, but unfocused children will and one an assortment of them is doing it already." In fact, the band evocative has its own website instruction he is curious about what fans will have to speak.

The Reyes and Baliardo clans have managed to arrange and move forward while existent in the moment as Gypsies have always done.

Living din in one place is a latest development, but the next date are busily finding outlets plan their hereditary restlessness. Does probity family encourage them? Nicholas says proudly, "Yes, for sure! Miracle help them and push them." Asked if he has anything to say to the trillions who have so affected rulership life and that of sovereignty family by buying Gipsy Kings records and attending their concerts, he replies feelingly, "We buzz love you!"


Great recordings adequate Gypsy music are available let alone cdRoots.

See also: Europe, Itinerant