Chico Bouchikhi
Template:Short description Template:BLP sources Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox musical artist
Jalloul "Chico" Bouchikhi (Template:Langx; born 13 October 1954<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>) is a French musician and a co-founder of the Gipsy Kings. After leaving the band in 1991, he formed his own group, Chico & the Gypsies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Early life
Bouchikhi was born in Arles, France, to a Moroccan father from Oujda<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and an Algerian mother from Tlemcen. He was married to Marthe Reyes, daughter of José Reyes, the father of the Reyes sons, members of the group Gipsy Kings.<ref name="humanite">Template:Cite news</ref>
Career
In 1979, upon the death of their father, José, the five Reyes brothers from Arles (Nicolas, Canut, André, Patchaï, and Pablo), who had up to that point been performing as a family band named José et Los Reyes, were joined by their cousins Diego, Paco, and Tonino Baliardo (nephews of Manitas de Plata) from Montpellier, and together with Bouchikhi, who was then married to Marthe Reyes, José's daughter, formed the group Gipsy Kings.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> They traveled around France and played at weddings, festivals, and in the streets, with Nicolas as lead vocalist and Tonino on lead guitar.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The group eventually became world-famous with such songs as "Djobi Djoba", "Bamboléo", and "Un Amor".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In 1991, Bouchikhi left Gipsy Kings due to financial disagreements with their then-manager, Claude Martinez,<ref name="rfi">Template:Cite news</ref> and went on to start his own group, Chico & the Gypsies.<ref name="humanite"/> The band has released numerous albums since 1992.
Personal life
Bouchikhi's brother, Ahmed, was assassinated by Mossad agents in the Norwegian town of Lillehammer in July 1973, in what came to be known as the Lillehammer affair. Ahmed, a waiter, had been mistaken for Ali Hassan Salameh.<ref name="press1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Bouchikhi is a UNESCO special envoy for peace.<ref name="humanite" /> In 1994, he was invited to play before Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat during the Oslo Accords peace negotiations.<ref name="humanite" />
In 2001, he unsuccessfully ran in the municipal elections of Arles.<ref name="lemonde">Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2014, Bouchikhi visited Israel. When asked in an interview with The Independent about his decision to refuse to participate in a boycott of the country, he insisted that reconciliation was more important than holding grudges.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Bouchikhi lives in Arles, where he owns a restaurant and music venue called Patio de Camargue.<ref name="lemonde" />
Discography
with the Gipsy Kings
- Allegria (1982)
- Luna de Fuego (1983)
- Gipsy Kings (1988)
- Mosaïque (1989)
with Chico & the Gypsies
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- Tengo Tengo (1992)
- Vagabundo (1996)
- Nomade (1998)
- Bamboleo (2003)
- Freedom (2005)
- Suerte (2008)
- Chantent Charles Aznavour (2011)
- Chico & the Gypsies... & Friends (2012)
- Fiesta (2013)
- Chico & the Gypsies & International Friends (2014)
- Color 80's (2016)
- Color 80's Vol. 2 (2016)
- Mi corazón (2018)
- Unidos with Hasna (2021)
- Gipsy Guitar (2022)
- Otro Camino (2023)