Where is gipsy kings from

When the senior Reyes passed away in , Nicolas and Tonino began playing together in the Southern French town of Arles. They traveled throughout the country, busking on the streets of Cannes, playing wherever they could—weddings, parties, festivals. Over the years, the music of the Kings incorporated elements of Latin and Cuban styles, Arabic music, reggae, and jazz guitar reminiscent of the French Gypsy master Django Reinhardt.

They never stopped writing new material and developing songs on the road, though; they began recording SAVOR FLAMENCO two years ago, feeling free to write their own arrangements, select the additional musicians they wanted, and produce their own tracks for the first time ever. For the band, the new album represents both a look forward and a look back. Each time, they return to their isolated enclave, and then recreate the experience of immigrants coming to a new land. Certainly, their lives are different from those of their ancestors, but something fundamental still remains; as they continue to travel the world, absorbing new cultures and styles, this mobility, curiosity, and adaptation drives their music ever forward.

And as active as this remarkable collective remains, they are also looking to what the longer-term future will hold for the Gipsy Kings—and for the family bonds that define the group. The band started out in Arles, a village in southern France, during the '70s when brothers Nicolas and Andre Reyes , the sons of renowned flamenco artist Jose Reyes , teamed up with their cousins Jacques , Maurice , and Tonino Baliardo , whose father is Manitas de Plata.

They originally called themselves Los Reyes and started out as a Gypsy band traveling about playing weddings, festivals, and in the streets. Because they lived so much like Gypsies, the band adopted the name the Gipsy Kings. Later, they were hired to add color to posh parties in St. Popularity did not come to Los Reyes right away, and their first two albums attracted little notice. At this point the Gipsies played traditional -- albeit passionate -- flamenco music punctuated by Tonino 's precise guitar playing and Nicolas ' exceptional voice.

Though they had devoted fans, they still had yet to gain wider recognition until when they hooked up with visionary producer Claude Martinez , who could see that the Kings had the makings of a world-class band. Thanks to Martinez , the Kings began to relax a bit and take on a more contemporary edge, combining their traditional songs with sounds from the Middle East, Latin America, North Africa, a hint of rock, and their inimitable joy.

It was, in a music industry filled with flamenco purists who resisted any kind of change, a very daring move, and many felt the Gipsy Kings would fall flat and disappear.

But the naysayers were wrong. In they released "Djobi Djoba" and "Bamboleo" on an independent label and scored two smash hits in France. Their success led them to sign with Sony Music and release their eponymous debut album later that year. Again, they had tremendous sales in France, and then found their album was appearing on the Top Ten album charts in 12 European countries, including England, which is traditionally unreceptive to international music. In the late '80s, the Gipsy Kings, debuted in the U.

This led them to sign to Sony in America. In , they were invited to perform at the inaugural ball for George Bush, but they chose to return home to rest and be with their families.

To top off their great year, the Kings ' debut album spent 40 weeks on the U. The Kings have had an active release schedule ever since, including the albums Mosaique , Live!

After extended touring, a new studio album Pasajero appeared in , followed later that year by Live in Los Angeles. The Gipsy Kings continued touring the globe almost incessantly before taking an extended break during which several greatest-hits and best-of compilations appeared.

In September of , the band celebrated its 25th anniversary with the release of Savor Flamenco.