Born Joaquín Caldera Cardoso, El Gitano Portugués is one of my personal favorite Catalan rumberos. Between 1970 and 1973 he released 8 singles and one full album (El Gitano Portugués 1972) on the spanish Discophon label. He might not be as famous as The King of Catalan Rumba, Peret, but certainly doesn't lack the quality. Especially the song featured here never stops to amaze the listener and always shakes up the dancefloors. Similar to El Noi (one of my other unjustly unknown favorites), El Gitano Portugués loves to add latin percussion (plus piano and brass) to his Rumba-Flamenco strumming, and combined with his raw pleading vocals (and therefore reminiscent of the gritty southern soul voices), will touch your heart and move your body.
El Gitano PortuguésSide A: Procura
Side B: Odio
Label: Discophon (1970)
El Gitano PortuguésSide A: Fui a Bahia
Side B: Los Limones
Label: Discophon (1970)
El Gitano PortuguésSide A: Es de Portugal
Label: Discophon (1971)
El Gitano PortuguésSide A: Rebola Bola
Label: Discophon (1971)
El Gitano PortuguésSide A: Que No, Que No
Side B: Solo
Label: Discophon (1972)
El Gitano PortuguésSide A: Chando Mio
Side B: Lloro
Label: Discophon (1972)
El Gitano PortuguésSide A: Caray, Caray
Side B: Ya Hay Amor
Label: Discophon (1973)
El Gitano Portugués Side A: Buenas Noches
Side B: Pena Pena
Label: Discophon (1973)
