Latino jamboree

Chico, the former member of Gypsy Kings, speaks to Lalita Iyer on Bamboleo and more.

How was the breakaway experience from Gypsy Kings?
I wouldn’t say it was a breakaway.. it was more that I wanted to go in a different direction. This direction led me to establish my new band, Chico and the Gypsies.

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Though it was difficult to start with, in the end it bore fruit which is evident in the four albums. This would not have been possible if I remained with the Gypsy Kings.

Is it tough to live up to the Bamboleo benchmark?
Bamboleo is probably our most well-known song, we’ve noticed that on our extensive travels. It’s popular in every corner of the planet. That’s really good to see, it makes me very happy. Maybe we will never have another song which is so well known — but that does not stop us from composing new songs. What we definitely do not want to do is to make another copy of Bamboleo.. just for the possible success it might bring.

Why do you think the Latino scene is picking up in different parts of the world?
I think Latin music— or definitely a large part of it—represents the joy of livin. And who doesn’t want to share that? Also, the musical structure is so simple that almost every culture understands it.

How do you reinvent your music?
By meeting young musicians throughout the world whom I invite into the studio. And then of course through my experiences in life — so to speak, through my maturity.

Dance seems to be a great component of all your music. Is that why it is so popular?
As I mentioned, our music is based on the joy of living, and of course the joy of dancing as well. It’s almost impossible to be seated when you hear our music.

What can we expect from your show in Mumbai?
A celebration of life! We will play some songs from our new album and as I said before, of course the evergreens like Bamboleo, Djobi djoba, Volare, Baila me.. and will celebrate a wonderful fiesta with our audience.