Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Equal parts flamenco, salsa, jazz and pop, The Gipsy Kings have essentially been Latin music ambassadors on a global scale since starting out in southern France throughout the late 1970s.

From then until now, the group struck gold and platinum on several occasions, took home a Grammy Award, collaborated with the varied likes of folk originator Joan Baez and reggae descendent Ziggy Marley, plus popped up in movies such as “The Big Lebowski,” “Toy Story 3” and “Sing.”

The Gipsy Kings are also no stranger to performing at Ravinia on a semi-regular basis, thrilling a multi-cultural crowd of practically any age with a career overview of both subgenre success and major crossover moments.

Led by co-founding front man Nicolas Reyes, who also serves as a guitarist, songwriter, arranger and producer, the latest line-up was on fire starting with “Galaxia,” ebbing and flowing from the danceable to the slowly simmering for the next 90-minutes.

Alongside the changes in pace came a bridge between traditional and contemporary stylings, including the festive likes of “Djobi Djoba” and “Chiribi” that managed to meet in the middle, plus the beautiful ballad “Alleluia,” which was the Spanish version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

“Baila Me” and “Bem, Bem, Maria” were a few other favorites representing The Gipsy Kings’ rich history, further pointing to the musicians’ exceptional chops, interplay with one another and improvisational abilities.

However, what was generally a celebratory tone built towards total jubilation come “Bamboléo,” “Vamos A Bailar” and “Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)” as the band really let loose with a flavorful fusion that’s unquestionably one-of-a-kind.

It appeared as though that would be the end, but the reaction was so rapturous, Reyes broke into an a cappella edition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” sung ever so eloquently in French and leaving Ravinia absolutely awe-struck.

For additional information on the Gipsy Kings, visit GipsyKings.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Ravinia include A.R. Rahman (Aug. 20); Pitbull (Aug. 25); Culture Club and Berlin (Aug. 26); Sting (Aug. 27-28); Yacht Rock Revue (Sept. 1); Emmylou Harris and Mary Chapin Carpenter (Sept. 2); Diana Ross (Sept. 4); The Australian Pink Floyd (Sept. 7); Stevie Nicks (Sept. 8 and Sept. 10) and Erykah Badu (Sept. 11). For additional details, visit Ravinia.org.

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