José Manuel Calderón (musician)
Encyclopedia
José Manuel Calderón is considered the first Dominican musician to record bachata with “Borracho de amor" and "Condena”, in 1962 at the Radiotelevisión Dominicana studios. Calderón’s voice was unlike typical bachateros, in that he sang in baritone, much like Mexican singers like Pedro Infante
. He also innovated instrumentation in bachata, applying strings, horn sections and piano, as well as replacing the maracas
with a güira
.
Calderón moved to New York
in 1967, and recorded with labels such as Kubaney and BMC
. After five years, he returned to the Dominican Republic
, only to find that the bachateros had been marginalized, since the genre itself had been associated with poverty and prostitution, and only Radio Guarachita, a nationwide radio station, played bachata. Disillusioned by the situation, Calderón returned to New York
, where he found that a Dominican community was growing in Washington Heights
, and was able to give rise to a popular bachata scene. Nowadays, with the recent acceptance of bachata in the Dominican Republic
and the USA, Calderón receives a fraction of the recognition he deserves as one of the forefathers of the national genre. Today he continues to record and distribute his own recordings.
Pedro Infante
José Pedro Infante Cruz , better known as Pedro Infante, is the most famous actor and singer of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema and is an idol of the Latinamerican people, together with Jorge Negrete and Javier Solís, who were styled the Tres Gallos Mexicanos . He was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa,...
. He also innovated instrumentation in bachata, applying strings, horn sections and piano, as well as replacing the maracas
Maracás
Maracás is a town and municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.-References:...
with a güira
Güira
A güira is a percussion instrument from the Dominican Republic, generally used in merengue, bachata, and its subgenres, that sounds like a maraca or hi-hat but in fact is a sheet of metal—in practice, often from a five gallon oil can—evenly perforated with a nail, shaped into a cylinder or...
.
Calderón moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1967, and recorded with labels such as Kubaney and BMC
BMC
-In business and organizations:* Beard Miller Company, a US public accounting firm* BioMed Central, a UK-based scientific publisher* BMC , a Turkish vehicle manufacturer...
. After five years, he returned to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, only to find that the bachateros had been marginalized, since the genre itself had been associated with poverty and prostitution, and only Radio Guarachita, a nationwide radio station, played bachata. Disillusioned by the situation, Calderón returned to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he found that a Dominican community was growing in Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
, and was able to give rise to a popular bachata scene. Nowadays, with the recent acceptance of bachata in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and the USA, Calderón receives a fraction of the recognition he deserves as one of the forefathers of the national genre. Today he continues to record and distribute his own recordings.