Chico Bouchikhi

Bouchikhi was born in Arles, France, to a Moroccan father from Oujda{{cite news|title=L'histoire |url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.laprovence.com%2Farticle%2Fpapier%2F3370841%2Flhistoire.html#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |website=laprovence.com |date=21 April 2015 |access-date=3 March 2024 |language=fr |trans-title=History}} 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.{{cite news|title=Israël : le grand pardon de Chico |url=http://www.humanite.fr/journal/2001-11-03/2001-11-03-252869 |website=humanite.fr |date=3 November 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421073306/http://www.humanite.fr/journal/2001-11-03/2001-11-03-252869 |access-date=2 March 2024 |archive-date=21 April 2006 |language=fr |trans-title=Israel: the great forgiveness of Chico}}

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.{{cite book |last=Sullivan |first=Steve |title=Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QWBPAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA144 |year=2013 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-8296-6 |pages=143–145}} They traveled around France and played at weddings, festivals, and in the streets, with Nicolas as lead vocalist and Tonino on lead guitar.{{cite news|title=Gipsy Kings |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gipsy-kings-mn0000555695/biography |website=allmusic.com |access-date=8 August 2023}} The group eventually became world-famous with such songs as "Djobi Djoba", "Bamboléo", and "Un Amor".{{cite book |last=Gray |first=Louise |title=The No-Nonsense Guide to World Music |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDr0AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA23 |year=2009 |publisher=New Internationalist |isbn=978-1-906523-70-1 |pages=23–25}}

In 1991, Bouchikhi left Gipsy Kings due to financial disagreements with their then-manager, Claude Martinez,{{cite news|title=Biographie |url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmusique.rfi.fr%2Fartiste%2Fchanson%2Fgipsy-kings#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |website=musique.rfi.fr |access-date=3 March 2024 |language=fr}} and went on to start his own group, Chico & the Gypsies.{{cite news|title=Israël : le grand pardon de Chico |url=http://www.humanite.fr/journal/2001-11-03/2001-11-03-252869 |website=humanite.fr |date=3 November 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421073306/http://www.humanite.fr/journal/2001-11-03/2001-11-03-252869 |access-date=2 March 2024 |archive-date=21 April 2006 |language=fr |trans-title=Israel: the great forgiveness of Chico}} The band has released numerous albums since 1992.

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.maroc-hebdo.press.ma/MHinternet/Archives_692/html_692/chico.html |title=Chico Bouchikhi, le king des gypsies |publisher=Maroc-hebdo.press.ma |date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303000855/http://www.maroc-hebdo.press.ma/MHinternet/Archives_692/html_692/chico.html |accessdate=30 August 2010|archive-date=3 March 2011 }}

Bouchikhi is a UNESCO special envoy for peace. In 1994, he was invited to play before Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat during the Oslo Accords peace negotiations.

In 2001, he unsuccessfully ran in the municipal elections of Arles.{{cite news|title=Chico Bouchikhi : La force d'être ensemble |url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemonde.fr%2Farchives%2Farticle%2F2001%2F01%2F23%2Fchico-bouchikhi-la-force-d-8217-etre-ensemble_139337_1819218.html#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |website=lemonde.fr |date=23 January 2001 |access-date=3 March 2024 |language=fr |trans-title=Chico Bouchikhi: The strength of being together}}

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.{{Cite web |date=9 October 2014 |title=Gypsy Kings star Chico defies Israel boycott despite Mossad |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/gypsy-kings-star-chico-defies-israel-boycott-despite-mossad-assassination-of-brother-9784385.html |access-date=7 April 2022 |website=The Independent}}

Bouchikhi lives in Arles, where he owns a restaurant and music venue called Patio de Camargue.

• Allegria (1982)
• Luna de Fuego (1983)
• Gipsy Kings (1988)
• Mosaïque (1989)

{{Main|Chico & the Gypsies}}

• 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)

{{Portal|Music|Morocco|France|Algeria}}

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• {{official website|chico.fr/chicowp}}

{{Gipsy Kings}}

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Category:Gipsy Kings members

Category:1954 births

Category:People from Arles

Category:French people of Moroccan descent

Category:French people of Algerian descent

Category:Living people

Category:French jazz guitarists

Category:French male guitarists

Category:French male jazz musicians