It seems like there are 5 types of Dominican music that are popular these days - that crummy Latino rap, romantica, salsa (great fusion of Latin and jazz), merengue and bachata. To my knowledge only merengue and bachata are Dominican originals. To me bachata is almost like Dominican folk music, very gentle. Merengue, because of it's often hysterical tempo, is less musical to my ears. I always associate the sound of bachata to the beautiful side of Dominican culture. - D
- Thread starter britishgirl
- Start date
What' Bachata?
thanks les and danny.
I will certainly check out some of the more classical bachatas. I have to admit that i am using some P2P to check out some of this music....but when i find something that i like i run out and buy it....if ANYTHING i want to support these musicians I found it totally odd that discorama here in NYC had absolutely NO idea of what bachata was when i went in there.
OH well...hopefully tomorrow will be a quiet day at work and i can check out those links.
I personally wouldn?t mind some good recommendations for "classic" meringue. As i have said before...i enjoy it on the dance floor...but find the continuous pulsing rhythm sorta monotonous to listen to casually (just my personal preference). I would love to get some recommendations on who to listen to tho. I give it all a chance.
well..my dinner came out fabulous.....unfortunately i ate it alone :-( but celia certainly added some extra salsa to my sauce.
<sigh> i need me some boca chica SOON!!!!
ok...back to the thread.....i would love to get more recommendations for both classic bachata, merengue y your salsa fav's.
thanks.
JJ
(oh..and btw..i was by no way trying to give a definitive definition of bachata on my earlier post....just my humble observation)
I will certainly check out some of the more classical bachatas. I have to admit that i am using some P2P to check out some of this music....but when i find something that i like i run out and buy it....if ANYTHING i want to support these musicians I found it totally odd that discorama here in NYC had absolutely NO idea of what bachata was when i went in there.
OH well...hopefully tomorrow will be a quiet day at work and i can check out those links.
I personally wouldn?t mind some good recommendations for "classic" meringue. As i have said before...i enjoy it on the dance floor...but find the continuous pulsing rhythm sorta monotonous to listen to casually (just my personal preference). I would love to get some recommendations on who to listen to tho. I give it all a chance.
well..my dinner came out fabulous.....unfortunately i ate it alone :-( but celia certainly added some extra salsa to my sauce.
<sigh> i need me some boca chica SOON!!!!
ok...back to the thread.....i would love to get more recommendations for both classic bachata, merengue y your salsa fav's.
thanks.
JJ
(oh..and btw..i was by no way trying to give a definitive definition of bachata on my earlier post....just my humble observation)
Lesley D said:
I do not consider myself a bachata purist, by any means. Of the newest generation of bachateros, I am no more inclined to support Aventura than I am to support Roman-C. While I commend the NY (read: US based) bachata bands who have found a happy medium between a genre indigenous to their parents' culture, and a/the genre(s) that speak more to their generation or people of their socioeconomic background, I can respect the persepctives of bachateros who prefer unadulterated bachata by the legends such as El Papa de la Bachata or El Mayimbe. Obviously there are justifiable reasons as to why they earned such titles, and their contributions to bachata should never be trivialized or overlooked.
I thought it very interesting that in your reference to the currently popular hybrid styles of bachata, you emphasized the hip hop element. Was that just to give an example of the bachata mixtures that are out there? Most "bicultural" bachata guitarists (Stylez, NV, Nueva Era, Iluxion, J.C) are noticeably more influenced by rock or alternative music. The bands that have remade songs, have remade songs by rock and alternative bands.
Very nice discussion by the way...
DeQueTuPriva,
Yes, my reference to the hip/hop in bachata was just to give an example of how bachata as it becomes more popular and somewhat internationalized the newer groups and less traditional in style are transforming bachata perhaps to attract a different audience and the upcoming new generation. I have consistently observed that Aventura has an interesting array of new followers definitely the youth of today and youth who most likely are followers of hip/hop & rap thus making bachata more appealing to them.
My preference in music in general has always been "unadulterated forms" as you well state of any genre and bachata is no exception to the rule. Mind you I am not opposed to Aventura, Nueva Era and similar groups who have successfully managed to attract a younger audience, which is vital to the continuous diffusion of bachata, but I find these mixed forms don't last long in comparison to the longevity of El Papa de la bachata (Luis Segura) and El Mayimbe (Antony Santos). For example Aventura's newest album Love & Hate literally came and left. It could be a case of sophomore jinx but it proves my point that hybrid genres of music are harder to up keep because trends change so fast whereas pure music can be continuously enhanced depending on the creativity of the artist. Antony Santos is a perfect example. He keeps producing what his fans want to hear. There are some who will say and have said he is boring and predictable but that's a very small percentage compared to his fans that crave for his unique style of bachata.
Another observation I have made is with mixed genres like hip/hop and Spanglish in bachata are perhaps attractive now because hip/hop is popular today but what about when it phases out and groups like Aventura have inundated their music with a style that has become obsolete? I think it will be harder for the groups of the like to stay marketable because they never really perfected and mastered the creation of ?pure bachata? in the ranks of the purists mentioned above.
-Lesley D
DeQueTuPriva,
Yes, my reference to the hip/hop in bachata was just to give an example of how bachata as it becomes more popular and somewhat internationalized the newer groups and less traditional in style are transforming bachata perhaps to attract a different audience and the upcoming new generation. I have consistently observed that Aventura has an interesting array of new followers definitely the youth of today and youth who most likely are followers of hip/hop & rap thus making bachata more appealing to them.
My preference in music in general has always been "unadulterated forms" as you well state of any genre and bachata is no exception to the rule. Mind you I am not opposed to Aventura, Nueva Era and similar groups who have successfully managed to attract a younger audience, which is vital to the continuous diffusion of bachata, but I find these mixed forms don't last long in comparison to the longevity of El Papa de la bachata (Luis Segura) and El Mayimbe (Antony Santos). For example Aventura's newest album Love & Hate literally came and left. It could be a case of sophomore jinx but it proves my point that hybrid genres of music are harder to up keep because trends change so fast whereas pure music can be continuously enhanced depending on the creativity of the artist. Antony Santos is a perfect example. He keeps producing what his fans want to hear. There are some who will say and have said he is boring and predictable but that's a very small percentage compared to his fans that crave for his unique style of bachata.
Another observation I have made is with mixed genres like hip/hop and Spanglish in bachata are perhaps attractive now because hip/hop is popular today but what about when it phases out and groups like Aventura have inundated their music with a style that has become obsolete? I think it will be harder for the groups of the like to stay marketable because they never really perfected and mastered the creation of ?pure bachata? in the ranks of the purists mentioned above.
-Lesley D
DeQueTuPriva said:
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Just another opinion
Sorry to bust in on this tight thread with an uneducated opinion but as an American and a music lover I am familiar with the the three main styles of Dominican music, Merengue, Salsa, and Bachata and I find the comparison not even close. Only the Bachatas have melodys that linger. I think that the last three years of Dominican Bachata will be remembered as the golden age of Dominican Music much like the sixties are rememberd in American rock. I say this because the quantity and quality of the Bachatas produced in that period cannot be sustained. As far as the mind numbing repetiveness of Merengue even with a century as a head start it has been relageted to a distant second place in the Dominican culture. Salsa is nice, but due to the rapid driving beat it cannot easily sustain lyrics and is difficult to dance to on less than a professional level. Just my 2 pesos.
Sorry to bust in on this tight thread with an uneducated opinion but as an American and a music lover I am familiar with the the three main styles of Dominican music, Merengue, Salsa, and Bachata and I find the comparison not even close. Only the Bachatas have melodys that linger. I think that the last three years of Dominican Bachata will be remembered as the golden age of Dominican Music much like the sixties are rememberd in American rock. I say this because the quantity and quality of the Bachatas produced in that period cannot be sustained. As far as the mind numbing repetiveness of Merengue even with a century as a head start it has been relageted to a distant second place in the Dominican culture. Salsa is nice, but due to the rapid driving beat it cannot easily sustain lyrics and is difficult to dance to on less than a professional level. Just my 2 pesos.
Golfer,
I respect your opinion completely however I beg to differ. To state that "the last three years of Dominican bachata will be remembered as the golden age of Dominican music" to me highly sounds like the voice of in expertise. No offense intended. When I think of the last three years of bachata, anywhere between 2001-2004 using your time period as a reference what first comes to mind is a huge rise in popularity of bachata outside of the DR but the caliber and quality has always been evidenced by the popular and experienced bachateros which I can easily divide the artists into sub categories. A genre such as bachata that as been around for decades is now experiencing international recognition and still has great strides to achieve if the right representatives (meaning artists) promote the genre. Please explain why you believe the last three years are the golden age. I am very curious to know how you arrived at that conclusion.
-Lesley D
I respect your opinion completely however I beg to differ. To state that "the last three years of Dominican bachata will be remembered as the golden age of Dominican music" to me highly sounds like the voice of in expertise. No offense intended. When I think of the last three years of bachata, anywhere between 2001-2004 using your time period as a reference what first comes to mind is a huge rise in popularity of bachata outside of the DR but the caliber and quality has always been evidenced by the popular and experienced bachateros which I can easily divide the artists into sub categories. A genre such as bachata that as been around for decades is now experiencing international recognition and still has great strides to achieve if the right representatives (meaning artists) promote the genre. Please explain why you believe the last three years are the golden age. I am very curious to know how you arrived at that conclusion.
-Lesley D
Golfer said:
Putumayo World Music
BritishGirl,
The above record company has released a CD showcasing Dominican roots music, including bachata. In my humble opinion it is one of the best, and definitely worthwhile looking out for. HMV or Virgin in Britain are likely to be carrying it. One of my favorites on the CD is "Nuestros Lazos" by Ram?n Cordero, one of the old timers of bachata. (Or maybe I'm biased, as he once was a guest in my father-in-law's house in the DR).
BritishGirl,
The above record company has released a CD showcasing Dominican roots music, including bachata. In my humble opinion it is one of the best, and definitely worthwhile looking out for. HMV or Virgin in Britain are likely to be carrying it. One of my favorites on the CD is "Nuestros Lazos" by Ram?n Cordero, one of the old timers of bachata. (Or maybe I'm biased, as he once was a guest in my father-in-law's house in the DR).
Meregue vs. Bachata
I live in Providence (dominican Land).....Honestly my opinion is that after Fernandito Villalona, Johnny Ventura, etc.. there havent been many good merengueros out there... alot of nice fast beats with nonsense lyrics ei "me gustan las mujere ajenas" LOL.
Every Bachata song has good lyrics well at least the songs from Anthony Santos, Frank Reyes, Yoskar Sakarante, and Joe Veras. You can hear the whole CD and like every song (well almost every song) unlike others where you buy a CD and only 2 songs are good.
I live in Providence (dominican Land).....Honestly my opinion is that after Fernandito Villalona, Johnny Ventura, etc.. there havent been many good merengueros out there... alot of nice fast beats with nonsense lyrics ei "me gustan las mujere ajenas" LOL.
Every Bachata song has good lyrics well at least the songs from Anthony Santos, Frank Reyes, Yoskar Sakarante, and Joe Veras. You can hear the whole CD and like every song (well almost every song) unlike others where you buy a CD and only 2 songs are good.
True indeed
Jozee74,
Good merengue as true followers know is on the downslide and possibly on hiatus with the exception of a few good artists and the root of problem I believe is gradual ranging from the lack of good quality artists to professional training to the international surge of bachata. Artists like Fernando V and more recently Los Hnos. Rosario are being denied new contracts with their current record labels for fear that the production won't sell. Besides the lack of new talent I think lyrics play a keep factor now in the merengue vs. bachata dominance and bachata artists for the most part seem to have what it takes in terms of good sentimental lyrics and those that you mentioned are key players.
-Lesley D
Jozee74,
Good merengue as true followers know is on the downslide and possibly on hiatus with the exception of a few good artists and the root of problem I believe is gradual ranging from the lack of good quality artists to professional training to the international surge of bachata. Artists like Fernando V and more recently Los Hnos. Rosario are being denied new contracts with their current record labels for fear that the production won't sell. Besides the lack of new talent I think lyrics play a keep factor now in the merengue vs. bachata dominance and bachata artists for the most part seem to have what it takes in terms of good sentimental lyrics and those that you mentioned are key players.
-Lesley D
Jozee74 said:
Hey Lesley....
Meregue has been going on downslide so bad that we have merengueros turning into Bachateros. Toro band is one of them, and the Bachata CD is pretty good. do you know of a few?
Bachata beats works better with the sentimental lyrics.
Lesley D said:
Meregue has been going on downslide so bad that we have merengueros turning into Bachateros. Toro band is one of them, and the Bachata CD is pretty good. do you know of a few?
Bachata beats works better with the sentimental lyrics.
Please clarify...
Jozee74,
Do you mean if I know of merengueros who have now crossed over to bachata or bachata artists in general?
-The answer is "yes" to both.
-Lesley D
Jozee74,
Do you mean if I know of merengueros who have now crossed over to bachata or bachata artists in general?
-The answer is "yes" to both.
-Lesley D
Jozee74 said:Meregue has been going on downslide so bad that we have merengueros turning into Bachateros. Toro band is one of them, and the Bachata CD is pretty good. do you know of a few?
Bachata beats works better with the sentimental lyrics.
Jozee74,
Thus far those who have made a full cross meaning a complete album who are originally merengueros are:
1) Alex Bueno- I am sure you already know but his three bachata productions thus far are outstanding. "Bachata a su tiempo", "Coraz?n Duro" and "P?deme". As well an album "de sus mejores merengues en bachata" I don't have it but I hear it's just as good as the other two.
2) Los Toros Band- they have two wonderful complete productions as well.
Other merengueros who have scratched the surface meaning have included at least one or two bachatas in their last few productions are:
RubbY P?rez
Fernando Villalona- his album "El Mayimbe en bachata" I highly recommend if you don't have it already.
Eddy Herrera
Zafra Negra
Jossie Esteban
Los Hermanos Rosario
Pochy y su Cocoband
In my opinion all are good but I am not convinced yet that they can be part of the next round of bachateros. The only two that are strong possibilities are Rubby P?rez & Fernando Villalona.
-Lesley D
Thus far those who have made a full cross meaning a complete album who are originally merengueros are:
1) Alex Bueno- I am sure you already know but his three bachata productions thus far are outstanding. "Bachata a su tiempo", "Coraz?n Duro" and "P?deme". As well an album "de sus mejores merengues en bachata" I don't have it but I hear it's just as good as the other two.
2) Los Toros Band- they have two wonderful complete productions as well.
Other merengueros who have scratched the surface meaning have included at least one or two bachatas in their last few productions are:
RubbY P?rez
Fernando Villalona- his album "El Mayimbe en bachata" I highly recommend if you don't have it already.
Eddy Herrera
Zafra Negra
Jossie Esteban
Los Hermanos Rosario
Pochy y su Cocoband
In my opinion all are good but I am not convinced yet that they can be part of the next round of bachateros. The only two that are strong possibilities are Rubby P?rez & Fernando Villalona.
-Lesley D
Jozee74 said:
El Principe Otra Vez
I have enjoyed listening to ole Frankie baby and the "mandolin" sound. Gotta get me one of those, whatever the heck it is. Bachata wasn't around when I lived in the DR, just merengue, guaracha and pachanga. Somebody mentioned Salsa. Are there many Salsa artist in the DR? I'm sure there are some in "jueva yor".
I have enjoyed listening to ole Frankie baby and the "mandolin" sound. Gotta get me one of those, whatever the heck it is. Bachata wasn't around when I lived in the DR, just merengue, guaracha and pachanga. Somebody mentioned Salsa. Are there many Salsa artist in the DR? I'm sure there are some in "jueva yor".
AtlantaBob said:
Do you mean that bachata wasn't popular when you lived in the DR? Bachata has been around for ages; it was just relegated to the marigins of Dominican society. It only recently began to move to the "center".
Lesley D said:
Love and Hate came and went where? Many of the songs from that album were leaked prior to its official release, but even given that circumstance, Aventura has remained in popular demand. The most celebrated indication of their continued popularity is the fact that earlier this year, they packed the United Palace theatre in New York by themselves. When I was in Santiago (I was there for a period of several months), practically every song on that album (studio recordings and live versions) was in heavy rotation. The Roof, HTV and a host of Dominican channels showed the hermanita video non stop. If anything, the fact that they give concerts in California and aveces quiero llorar gets airplay on stations that traditionally relegate "tropical" music three hour weekend tropical music shows, suggests that they've been even more successful with Love and Hate.