Picasso

Legendary French band The Gipsy Kings consist of two sets of brothers – the Baliardos and the Reyes. The Baliardos tend to concentrate on playing lightning-fast flamenco guitar licks while the Reyes provide the Kings with their big, soulful voices. Niño Baliardo was a founder member of The Gipsy Kings. At some point he left the Kings – who still tour but have not recorded anything new for several years now. As the title suggests, this album is dedicated and inspired by the legendary Spanish artist who lived in the south of France (the Gipsy Kings grew up in Provence) and loved flamenco, even championing the musical talents of the Baliardos’ father and uncle.

The all-original material finds Baliardo singing a similar rumba-flamenco to that of the Kings, if taking a few more musical chances – opening track ‘Salam Alaykoum’ features Moroccan musicians. At the same time, Picasso is let down by tourist tapas fare like ‘Rumba d'El Polita’ and overproduction that lends a soft pop flavour to many songs. Baliardo is not a great singer but he is competent and his band are certainly capable. What is lacking is a producer/arranger to develop his ideas beyond the rather staid rumba flamenco sound he packages them in.