Latin Grammy Awards- Nov 2, 2006

[Musicqueen]

Ah...no...you have it wrong...Bachata has been around only FOREVER!!! Just not in the US...

Correct me if I'm wrong, someone who's Dominican, but it's my understanding that bachata used to be played mainly in the campos or very low-class neighborhoods, and that's why MAYBE SOME people don't like it...

They consider it and the people that listen to it and like it...'chopos'...

Now with the coming of "Aventura"...there was a resurgence of bachata, and it's become more and more popular than ever!!! Even being played and danced to all over the DR and abroad...(Although, IMHO, what Aventura sings is NO WAY NEAR what a good bachata sounds like!!!)

Still...the 'powers that be' at the awards show, since they don't know anything about music, regardless of their age...(what does it matter whether someone is 'well over 50 or more'???) they don't know how or where to place bachata as another genre of music...and they want to pile it all together under 'musica tropical'...without realizing that you can't judge a merengue singer with a bachata singer or a salsa singer...Every genre should have their own catergory...and be judged accordingly...Just like it should also be separated by 'male' or 'female' categories...You can't compare Milly Quezada with Fernandito Villalona...they both sing merengue, but they shouldn't be put together in the same category...it's not fair...that way they could have Milly vs. Olga, Fernandito vs. Eddy, Gilberto vs. Victor...and NOT have FONSECA...(what the heck do you call what he sings...it has no defined genre...you could call it 'vallenato' a la Vives, or you could call it something similiar to 'pop' music...) compete with the people I mentioned above...There's NO WAY he can compete with ANY of them that have been around a while producing hits after hits...

See what I mean?

Oh, why do you people get me started???

I'm upset all over again about these awards shows...aaarrrggghhh!!!!

MQ

 

[Marianopolita]

Re: bachata is not new-

suitelady79-

Bachata music is not at all new. This music has been existing for decades associated with the rural, lower class folk of the DR, rejected by the elite class and always carried a social stigma that is still prevalent today. However, notably in the 90's bachata became internationalized and as a result enjoys greater popularity outside of the DR its country of origin.

Please consider reading Deborah Pacini's book about bachata, known as "música de amargue" which is one the best documented books on this genre. As well, there are some good links on the web for a quick overview of bachata. See here: Bachata Music History & Overview and here Deborah Pacini Hernandez: Bachata


MQ-

I agree with you and unfortunately $$ (plata) play and influential role in determining the Latin Grammy Awards. I still believe if it were based on public and fan popularity many of those artists who win regularly would not stand a chance. There are some legitimate awards based on fan preference per se however, the obvious obscure selections reveal the lack of authenticity about any typical award show. At the end of the day, these shows don't influence people's preferences. People listen to music that they enjoy regardless how popular it may or may not be.


Chao, bon soir

-LDG.

 

[Musicqueen]

Hey, Les...we agree again...

I wish these people would realize, once and for all, that the people that really count, and the ones that should have a saying in who wins or not, it precisely THE PEOPLE...THE PUBLIC...you know...they ones they sit ALLLLLLL THE WAY UP THERE!!!

Bon soir, cherie...

MQ

 

[Bartolomeo67]

El caballero de la salsa Gilberto Santo Rosa won his first Latin Grammy for Best Salsa Album, which was totally predictable and well deserved. I have heard nothing but good feedback about the album. It is now on my list of salsa albums to purchase by year-end.

Hi Lesley,
just a word of advice: only half of Gilberto's last album is salsa: 5 out of the 10 songs, the other half are ballads. Of course his salsas are top, but I wouldn't call the album any better than his previous work.
Check out Lefty Perez' new album Soneros Unidos and Dancemania with Isidro Infante in the same salsa style for your year-end list.
Bartolomeo

 

[Marianopolita]

Bartolomeo-

Thanks for the tip. Since, I normally listen to music from G. Santa Rosa only on compilation cds I would have done a bit more research before buying the album. After reading your post I looked at the comments on Amazon and they are identical to what you said. The salsas are great but there are only five. What I think will be best for me is to buy the album before Aut?ntico which is pure salsa and apparently tremendous.


Saludos

-LDG.

 

[daddy1]

Boycott of these phony award shows...that discriminate against Dominicans

These award shows are runned by big time record labels that are trying to promote there artist at all cost.

these awards shows were the reason why we have record labels like bad boys, and no limit records, with producers like, Dupree, Diddy, Simmons, etc..if rap did not create there own!! rap and hip hop would not be a category!!...

well this is what is happening in latin music....especially towards Dominicans...we are the rap music of the latino community...our music have entertained thousands of night clubs all over the globe, and our artist are looked at as tuggs and pirates!...irate:

merengue is not tropical!!! nor a"tropical salsa" we have been disrespected by these so-called awards shows that know that our music is difficult to perform, difficult to duplicate, and also to arrange, since it is a Dominican thang! they have no interest in promoting our music...

giving an I owe you this award to Millie (played out) and Juan Luis ( ok ) does not mean there doing us a great service, I call this to little, to late, we deserve and should have a category for merengue calle style, an romantic style, like bachata,... look tex mex has theirs, reginal mexicano as well, and texano too....what the hell is this! is this a double standered or what...people please!... Don't ever mention theses phony award shows on this site it's a slap in the face to this community and to our artist:ermm:

its about popular music, I don't hear Millie Quesada in the night clubs ever!...merengue is the music of choice in popular clubs today as it has always been...I do not and will not ever watch these bias shows again...until there is an improvement in the treatment of Dominican artist who have been in the business for decades, with no category, and without even having the oppurtunity to perform in large numbers in these venues as well...and you all should do the same...once again I will be posting another complaint to the latin grammy commision about there one sided award show joke and:ermm: fiasco!!

 

[Marianopolita]

Daddy1-

You are not saying anything new here. Did you read the comments? These shows are definitely biased. No one in the thread is disputing that but shouldn?t people decide for themselves if they should boycott the show or not? As well, stating that people should not mention the Latin Grammys on this site is a far stretch. I stated in my first few posts I watch the show for the performances and not for the awards because that's decided long before they pull the slip out of the envelope.

You are only defending one category however, there are many others genres missing from the award show. Merengue is not the exception. The genre has been sold out to PR artists over the years. Should anyone be surprised that Dominican artists virtually have no representation in these types of high profile shows?

The question is are Dominican artists themselves disputing the lack of credibility given and what will it take for them to get high profile credibility for merengue and bachata? The Casandra Awards aren?t enough, which is exclusively Dominican. This is not a battle I am willing to undertake. I will keep watching for the performances until I lose interest.


-LDG.

 

[daddy1]

Ok.. lesley I here you but... By tuning in to this show you become part of the viewing public at large, and you boost there televised ratings to go up....second, I don't care about the other genres because it's merengue and the artist that are getting dogged... Puerto Ricans are doing well with there reggaeton, and there merengue artist were all well rewarded when they were in the business...and last but not least... not mentioning the grammys on this site is not far stretched, because a boycott is a boycott!! if you were not welcomed, nor invited to the party as a whole, why would you stand outside the window to watch and admire the performances:ermm:

 

[suitelady79]

Ah...no...you have it wrong...Bachata has been around only FOREVER!!! Just not in the US...

When I said that I thought Bachata was new, I had read on wikipedia that it was only started in about 1961, which to me is some 40 years younger than Merengue which was started in around the 1920's. I was under the impression that Salsa and Merengue are much older than they actually are. That's my bad.

Correct me if I'm wrong, someone who's Dominican, but it's my understanding that bachata used to be played mainly in the campos or very low-class neighborhoods, and that's why MAYBE SOME people don't like it... I agree that this is most likely true based on what I read on the links sent by one of the users.

They consider it and the people that listen to it and like it...'chopos'...

Still...the 'powers that be' at the awards show, since they don't know anything about music, regardless of their age...(what does it matter whether someone is 'well over 50 or more'???) they don't know how or where to place bachata as another genre of music... What I am saying here about being over the age of 50 or more is this: Think about when bachata first emerged on the scene in 1961, it was probably very popular to many young people as most new things that come out are. When Rock music, hip-hop music, Rhythm and Blues first emerged on the scene in their places of origin, you didn't see the 60 year olds getting down to it...it was the younger generation. I just thought that the older generation of people who are generally running the big music companies and have tight reigns on the outcomes of these awards shows are less likely to grasp this movement. That's why I think it makes a difference.
See what I mean?

Oh, why do you people get me started???

I'm upset all over again about these awards shows...aaarrrggghhh!!!!

MQ

Thanks for the links and don't worry about getting upset...people don't like change but they are eventually forced to embrace it...

 

[deelt]

Just a comment or two...

First, let's remember just because it's in wikipedia doesn't make it gold and true.

On the music...Calle 13 does all their on stuff. Un Chin magazine (Un Chin Magazine; Chin Magazine; Un Chin, I encourage all to subscribe to this Dominican owned and run awesome mag!!!) did an awesome article on them...they are truly talented. A portion of the article is still available on-site:

Whoever said first impressions are the most lasting hasn?t met musical duo Residente Calle 13. With their first blip on the radar in late 2005, word spread like wildfire about their reggaeton-with-a-twist musical stylings. Although reggaeton and hip-hop are the strongest influences heard on their debut disc Calle 13, repeated listenings unearth cumbia, electronica, and even a bit of Spaghetti Western reverb thrown in for good measure. And even the stepbrothers? humorous image projected by their videos doesn?t tell the whole story.

------------------------
While I didn't see the show the radio station had a big to do about what went down the next day...in particular, around my area folks were commenting on Wisin y Yandel (Sp?) reaction, that is, rather than celebrate the attention to the genre, they supposedly made spiteful comments since they felt they deserved it and not Calle....Oh well....stop the drama, can't we all just get along.

 

[Marianopolita]

Deelt-

I am by no means a fan of reggaet?n music overall but I can still appreciate a few songs here and there. The whole controversy around the music awards is just not worth it in the long run. As I stated in one of my responses to MQ, the award show is for anyone to enjoy how s/he sees fit and the politics should be left aside for the evening or let the artists deal with it. Boycotting the show as suggested by Daddy1 won't stop them from having a yearly expos? of Latin music whether fan favorites win or certain genres are included or excluded.

The first time I heard of Calle 13 was when I read the list of nominees and then when the lead singer received the first award, I saw who they were. What their future holds as reggaetoneros who knows but for those who like the genre it gives them an alternative to the saturated tunes of Daddy Yankee, Don Omar & Co. The only reggaet?n group that I can say really appeals to me thus far is Mach & Daddy. They are Panamanian and their reggaet?n rhythm really reflects the origin of this genre from Panama with roots in dance hall reggae.

What I like about Mach & Daddy is the mix of their music. They have traditional sounding reggaet?n (el estilo americano) and then a fusion of rhythms including Panamanian soca. If you have chance to sample their music please listen to "La botella" which is their hit song and "La juma" for a taste of Panamanian fusion of beats.


-LDG.

 

[macocael]

suitelady79-

Bachata music is not at all new. This music has been existing for decades associated with the rural, lower class folk of the DR, rejected by the elite class and always carried a social stigma that is still prevalent today. However, notably in the 90's bachata became internationalized and as a result enjoys greater popularity outside of the DR its country of origin.

Please consider reading Deborah Pacini's book about bachata, known as "música de amargue" which is one the best documented books on this genre. As well, there are some good links on the web for a quick overview of bachata. See here: Bachata Music History & Overview and here Deborah Pacini Hernandez: Bachata


-LDG.

Quite right. This music goes pretty far back. If you want a taste of its roots, I highly recommend early recordings of the inimitable Luis Segura -- and even better, in terms of roots, La Sufrida, Melida Rodriguez. It is true that the music stems from the lower classes, but pace the scholars, I think it is best described as music of uprooted campesinos living in the barrios. When I first started coming here, 12 years ago, you could listen to this music only in the "cabarets" and bordellos in marginal neighborhoods. Never on the radio. Juan Luis Guerra, with his Bachata Rosa, was the first to "legitimize" this music and bring it a larger audience, but the songs on that album are really a mix of rhythms and genres, typical of this master innovator. some of the lyrics he "quotes" however go way back in the rural lore of this country (listen to Como Abeja al Panal, the line "las palmas son mas altas y los puercos comen de ella" is from very old rural verses). A good documentary about some of the notable heroes of bachata, as well as an interview with Pacini Hernandez, was made by my friend Giovanni Savino. Read about it on his website, Magnetic Art.

Btw, Bachata has replaced merengue as the mainstream music that people want to hear, so much so that the merengue fans got together and produced a TV show intended to revive the genre,a nd it was well received. But in our bar in Sonador,Bonao the locals only want to listen to bachata, along with some reggaeton. This is notable because Bonao is a famous center of merengue.

 

[miguel]

Bachata 101....

Quite right. This music goes pretty far back. If you want a taste of its roots, I highly recommend early recordings of the inimitable Luis Segura -- and even better, in terms of roots, La Sufrida, Melida Rodriguez. It is true that the music stems from the lower classes, but pace the scholars, I think it is best described as music of uprooted campesinos living in the barrios. When I first started coming here, 12 years ago, you could listen to this music only in the "cabarets" and bordellos in marginal neighborhoods. Never on the radio. Juan Luis Guerra, with his Bachata Rosa, was the first to "legitimize" this music and bring it a larger audience, but the songs on that album are really a mix of rhythms and genres, typical of this master innovator. some of the lyrics he "quotes" however go way back in the rural lore of this country (listen to Como Abeja al Panal, the line "las palmas son mas altas y los puercos comen de ella" is from very old rural verses). A good documentary about some of the notable heroes of bachata, as well as an interview with Pacini Hernandez, was made by my friend Giovanni Savino. Read about it on his website, Magnetic Art.

Btw, Bachata has replaced merengue as the mainstream music that people want to hear, so much so that the merengue fans got together and produced a TV show intended to revive the genre,a nd it was well received. But in our bar in Sonador,Bonao the locals only want to listen to bachata, along with some reggaeton. This is notable because Bonao is a famous center of merengue.

Bachata have been with us FOREVER and 1 day!!!!.

Even if I don't like bachatas from MOST of today's artists, I do remember going to some campos when I was a youngster and all you heard was bachatas.

Pioneers like Jose Manuel Calderon, Rafael Encarnacion and Luis Segura started what today is, in many people's minds, a phenomenon, close to 45 years ago, Calderon and Encarnacion being being the first ones, followed by Segura.