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Culture Vulture: Kings of Gypsy music

By CLAUDE SALHANI
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The amazing sounds of the Gipsy Kings exploded at Wolf Trap, just outside Washington Monday night, to a full house of music aficionados.

All it took was a tiny spark -- the intro to a familiar tune, the few words to an old favorite song -- to ignite the audience, to bring the fans jumping out of their seats onto their feet, to swing, dance, and sing along with the marvelous balladeers who hail from Arles and Montpelier in the south of France.

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What is particularly remarkable about the Gipsy Kings is that they sing in Gitane -- a French Gypsy dialect that in fact, sounds closer to Spanish -- and a language that few people, especially in the United States, comprehend. Yet, their success speaks for itself, regardless of the language in which the group chooses to sing. This is clearly the magic of music at work.

The Gipsy Kings are comprised of seven members of two Gypsy families - the Reyes, (kings in Spanish) and the Baliardos. An interesting bit of trivia: of the seven guitar players, four are left-handed.

The lead singer, Nicolas Reyes, is the son of Jose Reyes, who was a member of the world famous flamenco group that played with another king of guitar -- no, make that the emperor of all flamenco guitar players -- the incomparable Manitas de Plata, back in the 1960s and '70s.

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The group first debuted in 1987 and continues to mesmerize audiences around the world with their success. They have sold more than 13 million albums worldwide, including 3 million in the United States.

Just a few strums on their fiery guitars is enough to set the audience going, even though the acoustics at Wolf Trap on Monday, were less than perfect. This crowd knew what the Gipsy Kings really sound like, and gave them the benefit of the doubt.

Regardless, the Gipsy Kings remain kings of the night, and of their genre of music. A type of music, in fact, that is difficult to compare to anyone else's. The group has successfully compounded a blend of traditional flamenco, pop rock and classic Gypsy, along with their own inimitable style. The combined rhythm of the seven acoustic guitars, backed up by drums, bongos, an electric bass guitar and an electric organ, makes it sound as though a gentle tremor is slowly gathering momentum, shaking everything and everyone in its path.

In their unique way and in their uncommon tongue, the Gipsy Kings have managed to grab the ears and win the hearts of millions of people across four continents. After all, it matters little what language the lyrics are in, as music of the heart remains a truly universal language. Especially when the songs deal with matters of love.

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(The Culture Vulture is a column written by UPI's Life & Mind editor, and reflects on current trends, issues and events. Comments may be sent to [email protected].)

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