Canut Reyes

François Reyes (born 9 June 1954), better known as Canut Reyes, is a French Gypsy guitarist, singer, songwriter and painter, best known for being part of the group The Gipsy Kings.

Canut Reyes
Birth nameFrançois Reyes
Born (1954-06-09) 9 June 1954
Strassbourg, France
GenresFlamenco, gypsy
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, singer, guitarist, painter
Instrumentsguitar
Years active1974–present

Biography

Canut Reyes was born in Strassbourg, the son of flamenco vocalist Jose Reyes (1928–1979) and Clementine Nésanson (deceased in 2005). Canut was part of the musical group his father and brothers started around 1974 called Jose Reyes et Los Reyes. They played their version of flamenco at private parties in the south of France. José Reyes died in 1979 after battling lung cancer.[1]

At the end of the 1970s, the brothers joined with their Baliardo cousins, adopting the new name "Gipsy Kings", a tribute to their gypsy roots and the surname "Reyes" which means "Kings" in Spanish. The Gipsy Kings recorded their first two albums, Allegria (1982) and Luna de Fuego (1983). Despite strong support from personalities such as Brigitte Bardot and Francis Lalanne, the group was unable to break through, and Canut and Patchaï left the band.

Canut Reyes continued his musical activities in various other groups, playing mainly at private parties, and worked by day in a cement factory in Tarascon to provide for his family. In 1989 he released his first solo album Bolero, a tribute to Maurice Ravel[2]

The Gipsy Kings had in the meantime signed a production contract with EMP. After a first eponymous album issued in 1987, they recorded Mosaic in 1989. Canut was not involved in these recordings, but he joined the group for the world tour following the release of Mosaic. Canut Reyes has been a full member of the Gipsy Kings since 1990, he participated in all of their recordings and a majority of tours around the world.

Canut met brothers Jean and Gildas Boclé in Japan in 2001, this was the beginning of a collaboration that led to the recording of Gitano, Canut Reyes' second solo album, released in 2012.[3]

Discography

Solo
  • 1989 – Bolero
  • 2012 – Gitano

José Reyes and Los Reyes
  • 1974 – Jose Reyes & Los Reyes / Album Éponyme
  • 1977 – Gypsy Poet
  • 1978 – The Love of One Day

Los Reyes
  • 1982 – Festival of Saintes Maries de la Mer
  • 1991 – Tribute to Jose Reyes

Celtic Tales (Boclé Brothers)

2010 – Crossfields

References
  1. "Gipsy Kings biography". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  2. "New album". Canut Reyes EN.
  3. "Canut Reyes - Gitano - CD Baby Music Store". cdbaby.com.
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