Rough Guide to Merengue & Bachata
Cuba, Puerto Rico, and New York gave us the rumba,bomba,plena, and salsa, but the rhythms of the merengue andbachatafrom the Dominican Republic are the fastest-growing musical genres from the Caribbean. This CD is a snappy introduction to that island's national beats. The merengue originated in its neighbor country Haiti in the late 19th century, and was developed in the towns of Cibao and Santo Domingo. It's marked by lighting-fast beats, zesty accordion and saxophone riffs, and infectious accents by percussion instruments like theguiroand maracas. This CD includes the "Perico Ripiao" merengue heard on "Que Pena" by Samuelito Almonte y Su Conjunto, some big-city techno-rengue sounds on Antony Santos's saucy "Coheli Ahi," and some New York-style rap-a-rengue on Blas Duran's hip-hop/house track "Crei." Thebachata, which grew out of the Spanish bolero genre, is a slower, more syncopated sister to the merengue, with its high-tuned, central African guitar strains. It too comes in many moods and grooves, from the distinctive nasal vocals of Luis Segura's (the legendary Papa de la Bachata) "Los Celos" to the amorous love tones of Nelson Roig's "El Dueño de la Noche." This collection is a good sonic snapshot of this island's musical treasures.--Eugene Holley Jr.