Best Dominican Music

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mb2

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Here's my shot at the 10 best classic songs from Dominican Republic - whenever I play these at a party, the old timers get sentimental and love to sing along, though most of the younger people know of them too!

1. Fernando Villalona - Mi Delito
2. Luis Seguro - Tracionera
3. Leonardo Paniagua - Mi Secreto
4. Rubby Perez - Cria Cuervos
5. Nelson Roig - El Dueno de la Noche
6. Raulin Rodriguez - Medicina de Amor
7. Eladio Romero Santos - Madre
8. Rafael Encarnacion - Muero Contigo
9. Benny Sadel - Yo Soy Asi
10. Jose Manuel Calderno - Llanto a la Luna

Of course this leaves lots of people off! Chichi Peralta, Teodoro Reyes, Joseito Mateo, Los Toros Band, Melida Rodriguez, Blas Duran, Ramon Cordero, Aridia Ventura, Cuco Valoy, Johnny Ventura, the list could go on and on... But that's the fun with top ten lists! And of course Juan Luis Guerra really belongs in a category all his own!
 
G

Golfer

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Apr 7, 2002
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Just a foreign perspective

If you're truely talking about the best Dominican music nothing compares to the modern Bachata artists from 2003 to 2007. Comparing Luis Segura to Aventura is like comparing Perry Como to Justin Timberlake. You can do it but what for? The melodies, vocals, and instrumentations of this period were spectacular. How such a small island produced this volume of talent is incredible! It was truely a golden age, comparable to US rock and roll in the sixties. This music has appeal worldwide unlike "classical" Dominican music (like merengue tipico where someone has to tell you when one song ends an another begins) Here are my top ten from that astounding period:

Aventura - Solo Por un Beso
Joe Veras - Como Mi Duele
Los Toros Band - Si tu Estuvieras
Zacarias Ferreria - Amiga Veneno
Raulin Rodriguez - Por tu Primer Beso
Frank Reyes - Amor Desperdiciado
Hector Acosta - Me Voy
Antony Santos - Ay Amor
Monchy y Alexandra - Dos Locos
Elvis Martinez - No Te Vayas

Each of these artists has many songs the equal of these, truely unbelievable!
 
J

jrzyguy

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May 5, 2004
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my favs,

Raulin Rodrigues
Frank Reyes
Yoskar Sarante
Luis Miguel del Amargue
Anthony Santos.

That is no partiuclar order...and there are more i like as well

I suggest the OP trying to find a DVD of Santo Domingo Blues. I think you can still get it on amazon. A great documentary about the history of bachata.
 
M

Marianopolita

Former Spanish forum Mod 2010-2021
Dec 26, 2003
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Recommended reading of the history of bachata

I don't think this thread should go in the direction of a debate comparing bachata artists especially since the original question by the OP was:

After 11 trips to the DR being surrounded by the background sounds of Bacchata and Merengue music played everywhere I was curious about what particular individual songs would be considered "standards". The ones everyone knows by heart. Anyone care to list ten or so songs and the artists that sing them.
Click to expand...

This means posters will post what are their bests or favourites (songs or artists). As a result the selections will very especially those who have been listening to bachata way beyond this decade and especially beyond the so-called 'golden age' mentioned in post #22. In fact, that period is not the golden age of bachata if there even is one as it has yet to be categorized or defined.

The local (in country surge) in bachata popularity in the mid 90's was a precursor to what bachata has enjoyed today which is an unexpected and unprecedented surge internationally and even more acceptance in the Dominican Republic. To overlook this fact shows one's lack of knowledge or expertise of the history of the genre.

Bachata was and still is popular among many Dominicans for decades. Luis Segura who still produces albums today his latest two in 2008 is a key artist who really opened the doors to acceptability and popularized 'his' style of the genre thus paving the way for all artists to take stage and build a solid career not Juan Luis Guerra. JLG, IMO, is a good tropical artist but not a bachata artist.To downplay any bachatero before this decade in a genre which experienced and still does much social scrutiny is just ridiculous.

I agree that this decade has been key for bachata but it's what we (connoisseurs of the genre) call 'el auge de la bachata' or 'la bachata est? en su mejor momento'. That's the correct way to describe bachata today and all the fine artists who have displayed their talent in so many albums. It's even more impressive the ones who are original and don't solely thrive off vallenato or ballad remakes which many do. Unfortunately, if you are a true connoisseur of Latin rhythms, over 50% of bachatas are not originals. The acoustics, instrumentation, rhythms yes are absolutely creative but the songs are not. They are another artist's work or from another genre originally.

Anyway I did not list my ten or so songs as requested by the OP because at the first mention of Luis Segura, one of my heroes by another poster in post # 5, I focused on him. Now if I had to pick 10 songs that would be hard but I would rather list ten artists that one may want to focus on to get a good feel for the genre:

1/ Luis Segura- genre of bachata= bolero antillano
2/ Antony Santos- genre of bachata= bachata del pueblo
3/ Raul?n Rodr?guez- 'amargue'
4/ Joe Veras- one of a kind, his last four albums have been gems- Carta de verano, Tonto coraz?n, La traves?a (highly recommended), Vida- his latest production is also highly recommended.
5/ Luis Vargas- probably one the best guitarist of the genre. IMO, his latest bachatas have been superb, very creative, acoustically original- Inolvidable is a must have album.
6/ El Chaval
7/ Kiko Rodr?guez
8/ Frank Reyes- he's a perfect example of one of the bachata artists who surged in this decade- 'el auge' but he has been quiet of late.
9/ Alex Bueno- probably one of the most versatile Dominican artists- merengue and bachata. Hopefully, he can recover and get his career back on track.
10/ H?ctor Acosta- no need to expand on this man's talent. Just play any album of his either as a solo artist or with Los Toros Band.


Suggested reading:

Deborah Pacini Hern?ndez book: Bachata A Social History of a Dominican Popular Music

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Suggested compilation cd that provides a talented mix of modern day bachata. This compilation is one of the best I have seen on the market.


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-Marianopolita
 
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rockero

Guest
Hi dont care for bachata reggaeton or salsa but in Santo Domingo there are heavy metal and punk bands and Santiago a thriving pop rock alternative scene.
I think I know of a blues rock band from La Moca too on myspace I heard there stuff.
Also I here Jazz festival in Dr every year but why no info on blues music??
Hope some one can answr on this,,The Rockero..
 
waytogo

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
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Santiago DR
Last night I spent 4 hours working with Antony Santos in his sound studio here in Santiago. He is coming out with a new song (his rendition of The "The Tide Is High" by Blondie, (Deborah Harry). Half English, half Spanish. I worked with him on his English and he was a natural. The old, (3 days old) version was leaked out on u-tube and it is NOT the finished product. The finished product will be first played at his concert at the Country Club de La Vega S?bado 27 de Junio, 9:00 p.m. I gotta tell you, This singer is a class act and this new song is fabulous. I am proud to call this man my friend and he is the best of the best.
 
R

rockero

Guest
HI People and bands that also have left from The DR Like hardcore punk band La Armada in Chicago now,,Also other bands that play metal like Sanaturio and poser M 16 now call Nyc home and Exsanguniry Throne DR Black Metal band now living in Argentina but the main scene of this music with bands that dont give up is in Santo Domingo for sure..
 
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Big_Poppi2

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I was wondering about artist that are popular in the Dominican Republic that play bachata. Not the Dominicans living in the United States or abroad but actually groups that are in Dominican republic and the most popular ones, also Merengue groups and where to purchase their music? thanks, gracias
Biggs
 
R

RacerX

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Marianopolita said:
I don't think this thread should go in the direction of a debate comparing

The local (in country surge) in bachata popularity in the mid 90's was a precursor to what bachata has enjoyed today which is an unexpected and unprecedented surge internationally and even more acceptance in the Dominican Republic. To overlook this fact shows one's lack of knowledge or expertise of the history of the genre.

Bachata was and still is popular among many Dominicans for decades. Luis Segura who still produces albums today his latest two in 2008 is a key artist who really opened the doors to acceptability and popularized 'his' style of the genre thus paving the way for all artists to take stage and build a solid career not Juan Luis Guerra. JLG, IMO, is a good tropical artist but not a bachata artist.To downplay any bachatero before this decade in a genre which experienced and still does much social scrutiny is just ridiculous.

I agree that this decade has been key for bachata but it's what we (connoisseurs of the genre) call 'el auge de la bachata' or 'la bachata est? en su mejor momento'. That's the correct way to describe bachata today and all the fine artists who have displayed their talent in so many albums. It's even more impressive the ones who are original and don't solely thrive off vallenato or ballad remakes which many do. Unfortunately, if you are a true connoisseur of Latin rhythms, over 50% of bachatas are not originals. The acoustics, instrumentation, rhythms yes are absolutely creative but the songs are not. They are another artist's work or from another genre originally.
Click to expand...

Which introduces the into discussion why are the records so good as of late? The golden age of bachata? I d say because most of those records were not recorded in Santo Domingo and many of the studio musicians were of the "Funk Brothers" scene. They play in the big city juke joints all day so when they go to the studio they dont need to rehearse. They can lay it down in one or 2 takes and then just edit the record. Many of the great current hits, apart from Aventura or Nueva Era, were recorded in Washington Heights, Plainfield, or Union City, NJ or in the South Bronx. With a varied roster of Porto Ricans, Ecuadoreans, Colombian, American musicians. Thats pretty much how all American music came about. Guys from one genre "guest" on another genre recordings and move the artform in a new direction.

Heres is an example of how influential one music is to another genre.

YouTube - The Three Degrees - When Will I See You Again 1978

These are the 3 Degrees, backing vocal group for The Sound of Philadelphia, Philadelphia International Records. This record clearly is a bachata record. It has the same cadence and time signature and it even allows you to do the same 2 step dance manuevers. Now this record came out in 1978 way before thi golden age of bachata. In the 1970s, many bachateros were using a 6-string acoustic guitar or an Adobro(if they could afford one). This PI song uses a bass guitar to hold the rhythm and a string section(which was big in the 1970s to give the records a lush sound especially in stereo). But you can clearly hear that this song heavily influenced modern bachata. Now imagine how good the artists would sound now with a string section. I personally am waiting for a bachatero to come out with a baritone voice. These tenors get on my nerves, they are too abundant. El Toro? Nope, too nasal, alto tenor, I no likey. Luis Vargas is the closest to a baritone. Zacarias Ferrieras could really be big if he integrated a rhythm section into records. He has that Teddy Pendergrass appeal with his voice.

Additionally, female bachateros are almost nonexistent. Apparently, Dominican blues is a male-controlled environment where they sing about being wrong by women. Women are relegated to merengues, clasicos, contemporaneo, pericos y tipicos o pop en espanol. Milly Quezada is doing pop music(which I think is drivel but popular in Mexico, Spain, parts of South America). Even this brand of pop is a copy of R&B records from the 80s. Another example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTkdAFIekV0

is this Luther Vandross song from 1982 or 1983. This is EXACTLY the sound that Milly Quezada is doing now, albeit it with more horns and a slightly faster tempo.
 
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PeterInBrat

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May 29, 2006
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Big_Poppi2 said:
I was wondering about artist that are popular in the Dominican Republic that play bachata. Not the Dominicans living in the United States or abroad but actually groups that are in Dominican republic and the most popular ones, also Merengue groups and where to purchase their music? thanks, gracias
Biggs
Click to expand...

Bachatas are known as songs of bitterness, because they are almost universal in that the guy can't be with the woman he loves or he has been betrayed by her. Antony Santos, Raulin Rodriguez and Frank Reyes are a good start. You can get many of their albums on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Frente a Frente: Antony Santos Vs. Raulin Rodriguez: Antony Santos…

Amazon.com: Grades Exitos De....: Raulin Rodriguez: Music

Amazon.com: En Vivo: Antony Santos: Music


I used to be a big Raulin fan, but I haven't heard a good album from him for quite a while. His biggest hit internationally was Nereyda, but he also has done well with his cover of "Ay Hombre," which is was originally a Columbian song played on accordian.

I prefer homegrown bachata, but they have a long way to go with video production:

YouTube - FRANK REYES - TU ERES AJENA

YouTube - Antony Santos - Anoche Sone Con Ella

YouTube - alex bueno - ese hombre soy yo www.BachataRadio.com

It's sad that the idealized romatic bachata is being replaced in popularity by urban boy band groups like Aventura and worse, Reggaeton.
 
A

Angelfobia

New member
May 5, 2010
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Not Only Bachata & Merengue

domilinguist said:
What do people think of this video by Marel Alemany? I think it's one of the best videos to come out of the DR in a long time! Enjoy!

YouTube - Carne - Marel
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One does not usually think of rock and alternative music, or similar, being made in Dominican Republic. There are other types of music than Merengue and Bachata that come from this country. There are so many talented artists from the Dominican Republic.

Marel is one of these examples. The video itself is great! This song is btw from his latest CD which has a lot more caribean feel to his previous album, and I must comment, that just because it is not the regular bachata or merengue one is used to, it does not take away his talent.

I feel like a lot of people generalize DOMINICAN ARTISTS to be Bachateros or Merengueros, which is why the other music scenes are having such a hard time growing in this country. Noneless, artists like Marel Alemany or Alex Ferreira, along to so many other Artist that play differnt generes, have nothing to envy from any other bands.... other than the full support of it's country.

The Dom.Rep. has some increible Jazz, Blues, Rock, etc. musicians.

Please keep in mind that not only Bachata identifies this country nowaday.

:)
 
C

Chip

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The problem with "la corta veina" is that is that is all one hears on 90% of the radio stations here. It doesn't help that it sounds a lot alike either. At any rate I prefer salsa but if I was bombarded with it all day long I'd get tired of it too.
 
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