Merengue

admin — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:19:14 +0000

It is the Dominican national dance and our folkloric dance. It’s a music style with a joyful tone; it has a mixture of musical instruments which turn it into a very contagious rhythm easy to dance.

Merengue was born in el Cibao, the northern zone of Dominican Republic, specifically in Santiago de los Caballeros, as a transformation of the European counter dance with Caribbean and African instruments. In its beginning it was rejected since every genre comes up and moves according to fashion. By that time Merengue was discarding Tumba (other musical genre) by 1850 Merengue was on fashion.

This dance has two instruments which give a unique rhythm which incites the listener to follow the rhythm and move the body. These two instruments are guira and drums, which are fundamentals to produce this type of music

Perico rípiao, a variation of Merengue is different to this one because it has another fundamental instrument: the accordion and it is played faster than Merengue. Perico Ripiao is listened in the rural zones and towns. Some of the artists who have made this genre famous abroad are Fefita la Grande and Fulanito.

We also have Street Merengue, another variation which is a mixture of merengue with beats of hip hop and reggaetón. Nowadays this rhythm is very on fashion in United States in cities such as Miami and New York.

Dominican Merengue started to be known internationally thanks to artists like Hermanos Rosario, Sergio Vargas, Kinito Mendez, Eddy Herrera, Rubby Pérez, Tatico Henríquez and Juan Luis Guerra, this latter is known worldwide as the face of merengue.

Dominican Bachata

admin — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:33:56 +0000

Bachata, also called “music of bitterness” due to its high passion content; it is a rhythm born in Dominican Republic and it has been part of Dominican people for decades, especially in towns and rural areas. At the end of the 80s this rhythm began to expand in order to reach the top of success and popularity.

Batacha emerges from a mixture of son and Cuban bolero; it’s enjoyed by popular mass. The main instrument of this spirited and contagious rhythm is the guitar along with the marimba and maracas. Bachata genre has been supported by composers and singers who have been responsible of taking this genre to its maximum level of expression. At the beginning, Bachata was discriminated and considered low class music but nowadays it has a privileged place in Dominican Culture.

Bachata also has a particular way of dancing which consists of a feet and heaps movement with a swing or “tumbao” that has three times and little steps. Batacha choreography looks spectacular and it has been on the best stages of the world like in the awards Premios Lo Nuestro.

There have been many dedicated and selfless artists who have sang and composed for this genre; the most famous of them:: Jose Manuel Caldero, considered the father of bachata, Luis Segura (el añoñaito), Antony Santos, Yoskar Sarante, Luis Vargas, Zacarías Ferreira, Juan Luis Guerra who gave it a very particular touch in his album “Bachata Rosa”, Frank Reyes with his most recent exit “Princesa”, Joe Veras, Hector Acosta (el torito) among others of equal quality up to reaching the internationalisation of this genre with Grupo Aventura and Monchy & Alexandra.

Bachata is present in most of dominican social and cultural activities in clubs and discos in the entire country. It is undoubtedly a rythm that has changed a lot but it always preserves its essence. Bachata productions are available in all musical stores in the country and abroad; it’s just a matter of asking for the favorite bachata Singer and enjoy it.

Listening to Bachata is something that most be done at least once in life; these lyrics express pain, love and suffering turned into songs; for all dominicans residing abroad it breaks their heart at listening to one of these songs they have not listened to for a long time, like the Antony Santos’ song called Voy pa’ ya…

Dominican Republic Trip » bachata

Merengue

Dominican Bachata