BACHATA 101

How Did the Bachata Sensation Begin?

Originating in the Dominican Republic, Bachata derived from the Pan-Latin American tradition of guitar music (música de guitarra) and made its debut during the 1960s. However, the roots of Bachata begin earlier in bars and brothels, to which many considered it to be a low-class and unrefined type of music and dance. In this tradition, Bachata shares a common ancestry to Merengue.

The Meaning of Bachata

Reflecting the gatherings that were associated with Bachata, dictionaries define this term with words like party, fun and merriment. Bachata referred specifically to get-togethers that included music, drink and food. The music played at these gatherings were often played on guitars with acordio-based ensembles common as well. Part of the tradition of Bachata has long been associated with the uplifting and optimistic feelings that both the music and dance bring.

The Bachata Sensation Takes Flight

Throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s, romantic guitar-based music recorded by musicians of rural Dominican origins came to be known as Bachata. However, among the Dominicans there is considerable disagreement as to exactly when the term Bachata came to refer to this particular type of music. The first Bachata music that has been recognized as such was recorded by José Manuel Calderón in 1961, which was Borracho de Amor and Que Será de Mi (Condena). Often focusing on topics of heartbreak, romance and loss, Bachata’s tempo started to quicken. With that, a new dance step was initiated and that was when Bachata became classified as a form of dance music.

Bachata Becomes Fashionable

As Bachata starts to spread through Latin America during the 1980s, innocent lyrics filled with innuendos and double entendres become much more common. With the faster rhythm, punchier guitar sounds, and call and response singing becoming more customary, Bachata was on the rise. After more than two decades, Bachata was reaching a more mainstream audience. In 1987, Blas Durán claimed the first significant commercial success as he added electric guitar to his Bachata-meringue success named, Consejo a Las Mujeres.

The First Grammy for Bachata

The history of Bachata hits a high note in 1991 when Juan Luis Guerra brought Bachata into the international limelight with his Grammy-winning album Bachata Rosa. Now the sounds of electric guitar and synthesizers were commonplace and the social perception of Bachata was changing as well. Even though the classic Bachata ensemble was modified with these new instruments, the characteristic features such as guitar-led ensembles accompanied by guira rhythms remained intact. Two new young stars, Luis Vargas and Anthony Santos, are leading the way of the first generation of pop Bachata artists throughout the 1990s.

Bachata in the New Millennium

Dominican group Aventura has taken over North America by storm making New York the mecca of Bachata. With their innovative melodies that include reverberations of rock guitar blended with R&B sounding vocals, Bachata music and dance continue to grow and gain vast popularity. Other bachateros like Monchy y Alexandra, Xtreme, Toby Love, Prince Royce, Loisadas, José Feliciano and so many other rising stars being heard in the United States, Australia, Italy, Malaysia, and other great nations, Bachata music and dance is quickly becoming an international phenomenon. Today, the Bachata Sensation is felt throughout the world.