The Best of the Gipsy Kings

iTunes Review

You don't have to be a flamenco aficionado to let this collection work its magic on you. You don't even have to know that the Gipsy Kings hail from the actual gypsy villages of Montpelier and Arles in the south of France, where singers and musicians from the Reyes and Baliardo families first started jamming in the 1970s. And finally, you don't have to like dancing to dig this, but after listening to Best of The Gipsy Kings, you're going to want to shake it like there's sangria flowing in your veins. Those who lost interest in The Gipsy Kings when they let DJs remix their rumba flamenco may be glad this 1995 compilation only has one electro discothèque hit in the form of a medley at the end. The rest of these songs are mostly rooted in their native music, and though the songs aren't sequenced chronologically, starting off with the feverish "Djobi, Djoba" sets the tone by evoking a burning urge to dance with a rose in your teeth. "Baile Me" and "Bem, Bem, Maria" are other heel smashing, hip shakers, and a live version of the instrumental "Galaxia" from their 1984 debut Luna de Fuego is another true treat.