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Gipsy Kings split up?
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Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
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 RE: Gipsy Kings split up? (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
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Ey Ricardo, I just saw that you posted this--a while back! Thanks for posting those vids, sorry I missed them.
We just saw the Nicholas group on Friday here in Arizona. I decided to go with Nicholas since it's his voice that graces most of the big songs, after all. I was pleasantly surprised with his singing, as I had some fears that his voice might be diminished. But he sounded pretty good--like himself, at least.
Whoever did sound for the show, unfortunately, didn't really have a clue as to how to mix the band. The guitars were barely audible, and the bass just sort of bloomed into a big mush. The lead guitarist (slender, young-looking dude, kind of held his guitar like an upright bass), was very clear, though, which was nice, because I liked his stuff. He has pretty good chops and some nice licks.
It was really weird to see the band split up like this though. Every time I had seen them in the past, they had the old lineup (minus Chico, I guess...), maybe with a few young guys sprinkled in. And there was one time that Mario Regis was there instead of Tonino.There was a bit of a sense that it was a cover band, like the Australian Pink Floyd or the Fab Four, except with the weirdness of Nicholas actually being there!
I ran into him and a couple of the guys in the lobby the next morning. He looked really tired! I guess he gave it his all, because he seemed fine on stage (or maybe he partied too hard, it was at a casino, after all). I briefly thanked them for the show as I walked by, and they were cool about it.
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Arizona Wedding Music Guitar
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Date Aug. 6 2023 19:01:39
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Ricardo
Posts: 14801
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
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RE: Gipsy Kings split up? (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Miguel de Maria
Ey Ricardo, I just saw that you posted this--a while back! Thanks for posting those vids, sorry I missed them.
We just saw the Nicholas group on Friday here in Arizona. I decided to go with Nicholas since it's his voice that graces most of the big songs, after all. I was pleasantly surprised with his singing, as I had some fears that his voice might be diminished. But he sounded pretty good--like himself, at least.
Whoever did sound for the show, unfortunately, didn't really have a clue as to how to mix the band. The guitars were barely audible, and the bass just sort of bloomed into a big mush. The lead guitarist (slender, young-looking dude, kind of held his guitar like an upright bass), was very clear, though, which was nice, because I liked his stuff. He has pretty good chops and some nice licks.
It was really weird to see the band split up like this though. Every time I had seen them in the past, they had the old lineup (minus Chico, I guess...), maybe with a few young guys sprinkled in. And there was one time that Mario Regis was there instead of Tonino.There was a bit of a sense that it was a cover band, like the Australian Pink Floyd or the Fab Four, except with the weirdness of Nicholas actually being there!
I ran into him and a couple of the guys in the lobby the next morning. He looked really tired! I guess he gave it his all, because he seemed fine on stage (or maybe he partied too hard, it was at a casino, after all). I briefly thanked them for the show as I walked by, and they were cool about it.
About sound. In the old days, if you ever caught a tv program or something with all those guitars, it was a mess compas wise. The Live concerts require a reduction of rhythm guitar sound to ONE GUY mainly, sometimes two. Pablo was the best or tightest player and drives the rhythm sound (Patchai was the other whose guitar was actually “on” LOL). Without his rhythm guitar, I must admit whatever the group has going will be questionable final results. The lead guitar has to necessarily have a hot signal, and typically doesn’t do the heavy compas strum sound because balance can be a big problem. ONly the loud tresillos and accents. So those other 6 rhythm guitars are for visual show with low or zero volume. The irony is in my small combos locally people are impressed that we “sound like a big 7 guitar group like the gypsy kings” with only two guitars. But that is truly how the sound is made. You add 3rd and 4th guitars and just a hair different soniquete makes a mush of the compas.
About the “cover band” situation, yes this extends to big rock groups too. Two 50 years tours I saw recently, Priest and Journey. Priest has the “voice” so, it is like Halford’s own band. Journey has the karaoke singers copying Steve perry for decades. Truth is, the drummer Deen Castronovo is truly great singing but they only give him one song (the hardest of course). The DVD I purchased “Neal Schon journey through time” features Deen and it is WAY better than Journey the actual band. So yes, this is a reality of music world we live in today.
_____________________________
CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com
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Date Aug. 7 2023 17:03:43
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Mark2
Posts: 1871
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco
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RE: Gipsy Kings split up? (in reply to Ricardo)
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First time I saw the GK's back in 1988, Tonino was miked. Their first record had just broken out in the US, and they were fantastic. Sounded incredible and tore the roof off the place. Ever since they discoved piezos, I can't listen to the lead guitar, it's too terrible. At this point they are a nostalgia group. Really their first record was the only hit record, although I think they produced some good songs later. The cover band label has some validity too but if the original singer of the music is there, I think the essence can be produced.
Journey is from my home town, and they played their first record every morning in homeroom when I was a senior in HS. Greg Rolie, from all the first Santana hits was was the singer and keyboardist. Ansley Dunbar was the drummer, and they were a rock fusion band pre Steve Perry. I saw them in a small club at this time, and it was a great show. Schon was at his peak.
I agree they are a cover band now, despite Schon's presence, and are simply milking the cow. I think Schon may be as big an a hole as Al Dimolea. Worse probably. I respect AD for his work, but his ego is larger than even his talent, which is considerable.
I see his posts on FB, and someone asked him about his cutaway conde, and he pointed out it is the "AD signature model, and that he uses a pick because of "better articulation" No, he uses a pick because he can't do picado. Hell, I understand, I can't play his lines with picado either. He posted a bulerias recently that was rather embarassing.
But before I completely trash the guy, compared to Cardi B's mike throwing, fake rapping, disaster of Milli Vanilli proportion, Al is a genius.
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Date Aug. 7 2023 20:47:52
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Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
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RE: Gipsy Kings split up? (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
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Ricardo,
thanks for the info about the sound. I had no idea that this was how it worked--I thought they were all mic'ed and were able to play that rumba rhythm real tight!
I have a Filipino who friend who told me about the Journey singer when he first started with them. I am not at all a Journey fan (although I respect their talent), so it's not a big thing to me.
But that reminds me... I saw someone post a picture of one of those Halloween decorations from Lowes, a bunch of skeletons, one with a guitar, one with drums, one with bass, one a singer. I thought, "Hey, that's the Rolling Stones!"
Mark,
I would have loved to see them when they were tight and on-point! That must have been something. I'm one of those guys who preferred Alegria to their rock band sound, but I'm sure they know what they're doing. I think their big songs like Bamboleo, Bailame, Djobi Djoba, and Volare don't come from their first record, though--maybe their second? I do like a decent amount of their later stuff, but it never hit.
About Al, I heard two funny things about him. One, that during the pandemic, he was inviting people to his house, where he would cook a gourmet meal, chat them up, and then give them the pick of any of his guitars (that he displayed for the occasion). I think it cost $25K? The second is that he was actually coming here to play at the Music Instrument Museum, and as I understand it, would play songs and tell stories. I really wanted to see that, but my wife was not down!
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Connect with me on Facebook, all the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/migueldemariaZ
Arizona Wedding Music Guitar
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Date Aug. 7 2023 21:12:11
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Ricardo
Posts: 14801
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
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RE: Gipsy Kings split up? (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
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quote:
About Al, I heard two funny things about him. One, that during the pandemic, he was inviting people to his house, where he would cook a gourmet meal, chat them up, and then give them the pick of any of his guitars (that he displayed for the occasion). I think it cost $25K? The second is that he was actually coming here to play at the Music Instrument Museum, and as I understand it, would play songs and tell stories. I really wanted to see that, but my wife was not down!
Al has this cool rhythmic thing he used to do on occasion of take a melody and deconstruct it rhythmically, tossing bass notes counter time here or there to give a flavor of harmony. If you already know the song it was a cool effect….occasionally. One of the best examples is “Someday my prince will come” on World Sinfonia. Unfortunately he has taken this idea and now that is ALL HE DOES with every darn song. And as I said if you KNOW the tune it is cool, if you don’t, like he just composed a new piece, it is horrible and annoying. I saw the show and I liked tunes I was familiar with. He has two Condes and forces the other guitarist to use one (I know cuz I asked him and he did not seem happy about it). The story about dinner at his house during covid went like this: He only had one person actually take up the offer, and he was NOT a guitarist so he brought a cow bell. Al said he let the guy try to keep a beat but he couldn’t, so it was a nightmare for him. 
_____________________________
CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 8 2023 17:47:42
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