- Originally, bachata music was known as "música de amargue," meaning music from the bitter side of life. In 1961, Jose Manuel Calderon recorded the first recognized bachata. Many of the early bachata artists covered songs done in the bolero style of other Latin American countries. In the Dominican Republic, the music became an outlet for bitterness and nostalgia for the poor, but the middle and upper classes scorned the style.
- Bachata music is party music--literally. Bachata means "party" or "social gathering." It was associated with house parties in the city of Santo Domingo. According to Aventura, a bachata band from New York City, bachata festivities took place on terraces and gardens, and even the streets "with or without music--so, bachata, understood in that way, means mainly a way of life instead of a music or a dance." Soon, however, bachata began to gain acceptance by middle- and upper-class social groups.
- At the time of Jose Manuel Calderon's recording, bachata was still in its infancy. Early music retained distinct similarities to the bolero sounds of the surrounding countries. The advancement of technology allowed bachata to grow into its own unique sounds. Musicians now use electric or acoustic guitars, and alter the sounds using reverb, echo and flanger techniques.
- While the root rhythm of bachata is bolero, the genre draws rhythms from many other genres. From blues to meringue, you can find it in bachata. In addition to standard acoustic and electric guitars, musicians sometimes add the rhythmic guitar, bass guitar and even bongo drum to give the music a fuller sound and a stronger bass line. The beat is usually slow for Latin music, around 120 beats per minute, but the lyrics may be either happy or sad.
- Aventura credits Dominican radio stations with the success of bachata. Radio stations would play bachata artists and at the same time would announced the locals venues in towns where bachata was played nightly. In times when Latin artists rarely could record a demo disc, the radio stations became the only outlet for bachata, and they helped sustain the genre.
- The New York-area Dominican community saw a spike in bachata music recordings, and even live performances by young stars in the early 21st century. Tourism through the Dominican Republic greatly assisted the spread of the music. The form of bachata appreciated worldwide is often a more 'dignified' version that is more accessible than the original style.
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