Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Salsa
Salsa, like bachata , is heard throughout the Caribbean, and is very popular in the DR. Be-
fore they called it salsa, many musicians in New York City had already explored the pos-
sibilities of blending Cuban rhythms with jazz. In the 1950s, the Latin big-band era found
favor with dancers and listeners alike, and in the mid-1960s, Dominican flutist, composer
and producer Johnny Pacheco founded the Fania label, which was exclusively dedicated to
recording 'tropical Latin' music.
With Cuba cut off from the United States politically as well as culturally, it was no
longer appropriate to use the term 'Afro-Cuban'. The word 'salsa' (literally 'sauce')
emerged as a clever marketing tool, reflecting not only the music but the entire atmosphere,
and was the perfect appellation for a genre of music resulting from a mixture of styles:
Cuban-based rhythms played by Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Africans and African Americ-
ans.
By the 1970s salsa was hot, not only in the US, but also in South America and Central
America. Even European, Japanese and African audiences were treated to this new sound.
In the 1980s, salsa evolved into a bland version of itself - the so-called ' salsa romántica '
genre - and during this time Dominican merengue served up some worthy competition.
Since the 1990s, however, salsa rebounded and spread throughout the globe, living on in
new generations of musicians and dancers alike.
The following individuals and groups enjoy particularly favorable reputations in the DR:
Tito Puente, Tito Rojas, Jerry Rivera, Tito Gómez, Grupo Niche, Gilberto Santa Rosa,
Mimi Ibara, Marc Anthony and Leonardo Paniagua.
COCOLOS
Cocolos (English-speaking immigrants from the Eastern Caribbean who primarily settled in the region
around San Pedro de Macorís) have their own distinctive musical and dance culture. A good time to ex-
perience this hybrid of African and Caribbean rhythms is February 27, the national holiday celebrating
Dominican independence from Haiti.
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