The former member of the Gipsy Kings credited with classics like “Bamboleo”, “Volare” and “Djobi djoba”, launches “Color 80´s, Vol 2”, a magnificent compilation of 80s classics.
Jalloul Bouchikhi, better known as “Chico” is a world renowned musician and co-founder of the legendary band Gipsy Kings. He created his own unique style by mixing Catalan rumba with a fusion of other popular rhythms from around the world. Chico achieved fame with the band and they toured the four corners of the globe, selling more than 20 million albums.
After leaving the group at the beginning of the the 1990s, Chico created “Chico and the Gypsies” and once again was commercially successfully and well received by loving fans worldwide.
His latest album “Color 80´s, Vol 2” is a follow up to his first volume that was released last February. Some of the songs Chico has decided to pull from the vaults include “Englishman in New York” by Sting, Madonna’s “La isla bonita”, “Una autre histoire” by Gérard Blanc and “Marcia Baila” by Rita Mitsouko.
Chico Bouchikhi, born to a Moroccan father and an Algerian mother, is a clear example of the creative power of mixed cultures when it comes to making music. His talent played an important role in the international success of the Gipsy Kings and this is something that he has managed to perpetuate in his long and successful career with Chico and the Gypsies. His has toured the world many times with his new band, and teamed up with important artists like the North American soul singer Billy Paul, and legendary French musician Charles Aznavour, who is originally from Armenia and still going strong at 92 years of age. Aznavour is known around the world as “the ambassador of French music”.
We should also point out that Chico has been a UNESCO special envoy for peace for many years and starred in many campaigns and concerts in places under armed conflict in the Middle East, with one of the highlights being when he played in front of Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat during the peace talks that led to the Oslo Accords.
Chico Bouchikhi is back in action again and on the road with his latest release “Color 80´s, Vol 2” that is sure to delight both gipsy rumba fans and lovers of the sounds from the 80s. A new release that’s sure to leave nobody indifferent, so stay tuned!.
