Bachatero

Bachata, the Dominican Republic guitar style music, has grown in popularity since Jose Manuel Calderon recorded what is recognized as the first bachata record "Bachata Rojo" in 1961. This bolero style music, a slow Spanish or Latin style song played with guitars, took almost 40 years for it to become what it is today and has lowly spread throughout the globe being introduced to a new generation of listeners. But, it wasn't until the early to mid-90's that this form of music became popular.

In it's early years, bachata music was primarily played in bars and brothels of lower class areas of cities such as Santo Domingo and with the monopolization of music by former Dominican Republic dictator Ulises Francisco Espaillat and later by Rafael Trujillo, the music was banned due to politicians and upper class elites thoughts and opinions that the music was considered worthless due to the division of social classes and was formally banned from radio for decades. Yet it was because of this division of social classes that the the musical style got it's name which literally means a lower class 'party'.

Bachata has been compared to American blue's due to it's lyrical subjects and word play. With topics ranging from love, lust, and deception the music slowly gained a strong following. Musicians and dancers have been given the nickname bachateros, or an individual involved in bachata music. It's rhythmic style derives from another Dominican form of music meregue, which also has a very similar history to bachata. It's four step dance, as seen in the video below, can vary from style and region but typically it is described as being a very sensual and intimate dance and is similar to merengue.

Today, bachata can be heard in bars and night clubs throughout the Dominican Republic, Latin America, and the United States and has become popularized by artist like Aventura who brings the Dominican bolero music to a new generation of listeners.

Bachata will continue to grow and evolve as musicians, music enthusiast, and dance goers a like continue to bring this once thought of as 'lower class' style music to the masses. It's song's and dance can be heard and seen in night clubs and dance floor's throughout the world.


~Requiem~