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originally published: 05/16/2022

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The newly renovated State Theatre New Jersey presents the Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes with special guest Shutterdog on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at 8:00pm. Tickets range from $43.50-$123.50.

Nicolas Reyes has been the leader and co-founder of the Gipsy Kings for well over 30 years. In the past three decades, they have dominated the World Music charts and sold more than 14 million albums worldwide. Their platinum compilation, The Best of the Gipsy Kings, was charting for over a year upon its release and their ninth studio album, Savor Flamenco, was awarded the Grammy® for Best World Music Album in 2013.  

This iconic legacy began when Nicolas’ father, Jose Reyes, formed a celebrated flamenco duo with Manitas de Plata (which boasted fans as famed as Miles Davis and Pablo Picasso). When the pair parted ways, the elder Reyes became even more popular upon starting his own band, backed by his son, called Los Reyes. In later years, Nicolas headed out on his own and began playing in the town of Arles in the south of France. He traveled throughout the country, busking on the streets of Saint-Tropez, playing wherever he could. Having adopted the perpetual motion of the gypsy lifestyle, his band eventually translated “Los Reyes” and became the Gipsy Kings. 

The band’s music went on to fuse with popular culture. In addition to the accolades above, the traveling Gipsy Kings have played some of the world’s greatest stages, from the Hollywood Bowl to Royal Albert Hall as well as hitting the big screen. Their rendition of “Hotel California” was included in the film The Big Lebowski and the HBO® series Entourage. The 2010 film Toy Story 3 featured a Gipsy Kings version of the movie’s popular, Randy Newman-penned theme, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” The Gipsy Kings recently featured in a The Big Lebowski spinoff, The Jesus Rolls, with Reyes appearing in person with the director and star, John Turturro, for some of the promotion.  

As active as this remarkable collective remains, they are also confident in the future of their legacy. “Even though it’s been 30 years, we want to keep on making new music because it’s our life. It’s who we are,” says Nicolas Reyes. “But I think there will be a time when we pass down the Gipsy Kings to our sons.”  

 

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30 years is an eternity in pop music but the story of the Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes has the depth to endure. Theirs is a music that extends through generations, to the sounds of their ancestors—Spanish Romani people who fled the Catalonia region during the Spanish Civil War—and reflects the vibrantly eclectic and peripatetic history of the gitanos.  

Shutterdog - Shutterdog’s debut single, “The Felling,” is a surprising blend of songwriting and Eastern instruments. Led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Matt Nobile, “The Felling” is a story of transformation written from the perspective of a mighty New York oak tree forced to shed its leaves through the changing seasons.  

Matt Nobile grew up in the Hudson Valley region of New York, but his musical interests have expanded far beyond those borders. Originally a trombone and bass player, Nobile studied Jazz Performance at SUNY New Paltz. With that experience, he began to explore the NYC Arabic music scene, studying both oud and nai (Arabic flute) with Bassam Saba. Nobile is also a regular participant of America’s premier Arabic music program: the Arabic Music Retreat in Holyoke, MA headed by Simon Shaheen. 

With Shutterdog, Nobile introduces a new project showcasing his varied experience. Stepping out on his own, Nobile aims to introduce US audiences to a diversity of music. By using aspects of Arabic, Afro-Cuban, and Indian music in a western songwriting context, Shutterdog provides a crucial first step for listeners to begin exploring other cultures. Nobile is a recurring staple at beloved venues in New York markets. Bringing his vibrant music to settings like Levon Helm Studios, The Falcon, and O+ Festival in Upstate, NY as well as Old Rock Deli in Manhattan and the AP Cafe in Brooklyn. In addition to his own music, Nobile frequently partners with the Turkish dance band Sekanjabin as well as tabla and bansuri player Eric Archer. Previously, Nobile also served as the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for the world music band Datura Road from 2015 to 2020. The band’s diverse repertoire meant often switching between the guitar, oud, and penny-whistle within a single set of music. Work with Datura Road involved co-producing the band’s debut self-titled album and their follow up EP Elephant’s Dream with engineer and musician Julie Last (Ricki Lee Jones, Shawn Colvin, Joni Mitchell). 

For tickets, more information, or group discounts, call State Theatre Guest Services at 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit online at STNJ.org. State Theatre Guest Services, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open by phone and email only, Tuesday through Friday from 11:00am to 5:00pm. For in-person purchases, Guest Services is open Tuesday through Friday from 12:00pm to 4:30pm. Additional ticket and transaction fees may apply. 

After major renovations, State Theatre New Jersey has reopened and celebrated its 100th Anniversary in December 2021 in a fully renovated theater including newly renovated lobbies, all new restrooms, upgraded HVAC systems, a new elevator for access to all levels, and brand-new theater seats. Originally built as a silent film and vaudeville palace, State Theatre’s historic significance was honored by PBS by featuring it in its documentary series, Treasures of New Jersey, in the fall of 2018. “Treasures of New Jersey: State Theatre New Jersey” can be streamed online.

Today, State Theatre is the largest performing arts center in Central New Jersey and has welcomed more than six million people through its doors since reopening as a non-profit performing arts center in 1988. State Theatre New Jersey is a cornerstone of the cultural vitality of Middlesex County and averages a total economic impact on New Brunswick and the surrounding area of more than $18 million a year. The mainstage programs have featured high-caliber artists such as Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, Kevin Hart, Ringo Starr, Melissa Etheridge, John Leguizamo, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Program offerings include Broadway, orchestra, family, dance, comedy, rock/pop, jazz, Performances for Schools, and Sensory-Friendly Performances. 

State Theatre New Jersey’s programs are made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.