The Grammy Award-winning Gipsy Kings and their leader / founder Tonino Baliardo broke the mould with their self-titled album back in 1987. It was a time when the US and UK charts were almost completely devoid of non-English language songs, and especially music that was inspired and informed by the rich tapestry of world music from the preceding decades.
Subsequent albums such as ‘Mosaïque’ and ‘Este Mundo’ continued their success, leading to 25 million album sales, in excess of 2 billion streams and sold-out shows at prestigious concert halls across the world. Adorning their core flamenco sound with Latin influences, a pop accessibility and touches of reggae and jazz, their cultural impact resulted in them featuring on the soundtracks to ‘Toy Story 3’, ‘The Big Lebowski’ and ‘Entourage’. They’ve also played to all manner of legendary figures, including Brigitte Bardot, Charlie Chaplin and Tony Curtis.
All these years later, Tonino Baliardo and the Gipsy Kings family (featuring his sons Cosso and Mikeal) are still burning bright – as shown with their legendary Glastonbury 2024 set. Almost forty years since their breakthrough, their story continues – with music as electrifying and life-affirming as ever – with the news that they will release the new album ‘Historia’ on May 15th. They launch the album by sharing the lead single ‘Señorita’. Listen HERE.
Tonino Baliardo’s inimitable and instantly recognisable flamenco guitar sets the tone in celebratory mood as ‘Señorita’ fires up. That classic Gipsy King sound is defined by a rich, passionate baritone lead vocal as well as rhythms both vigorous and sensual. It’s a song that evocatively transports you to the roots of the gipsy music tradition – a skill that the Gipsy Kings have always delivered quite unlike anyone else.
While the boisterous exuberance of ‘Señorita’ is equalled by other songs such as ‘El Campo’ and ‘Big Bang’, ‘Historia’ also pulsates with the eclecticism that is a hallmark of the Gipsy Kings’ experience. The title track translates that frenetic energy into a grandiose, theatrical explosion of ñic influences, yet ‘La Guerra’ is a beautiful ballad that advocates for peace in the face of unnecessary wars. Tonino Baliardo’s guitar work is the highlight throughout the album, hitting a pop-leaning groove complemented by jazzy piano on ‘Sonador’ or sourcing a beatific euphoria on the instrumental ‘Cielo’ which was written in memory of Tonino’s brother Paco who recently passed away. Collectively it keeps the rich, passionate, virtuosic traditions of flamenco music and Catalan gipsy culture alive.
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