Rhapsodies in rumba

Truly a family affair, the Gipsy Kings, who popularised a strain of rumba and flamenco music by adding pop elements and toured the world to great acclaim, have now given birth to the Seven Kings. They made their Bangkok debut last week as part of the Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music.

For their descendants, all set to release their first album later this year, Spanish gypsy sounds are in the blood. The group consists of seven talented singers and musicians; Kiki, Keko, Canut, Patchai, Ramuntcho, Stephane and Xavier, with Mario Reyes acting as bandleader. Sadly, Pablo Reyes, an original member of the Gipsy Kings, missed his connecting flight in Paris and couldn’t make it to the Bangkok show.

Nonetheless, Seven Kings and Mario Reyes wowed the crowd with their “rumba flamenca” pop and unique musicianship. Fans got what they came for, enjoying a complete repertoire of Gipsy King’s timeless hits such as “Un Amor”, “Djobi Djoba”, “Trista Pena”, “Todos”, “A Mi Manera”, “Sin Ella”, “Baila Me”, “Tu Quieres Volver” and “Volare” and the breakthrough hit “Bamboleo” that was repeated twice during the encore. 

Though the band did not incorporate much improvisation, they won over the crowd with musical precision, energy and sheer chemistry not to mention the passion in their rumba and salsa traditions. There was nothing fancy about the show: the stage was almost bare and the costumes were simple, but the performance itself was vibrant, colourful and captivating. 

Seven Kings proved that they are not just a substitution for their forerunners but a living Spanish songbook and a collective of talented virtuosos who are proud torchbearers of the gypsy culture in their own right.