Dominican Republic Merengue. Haiti-Cuba-Virgin Islands-

After its eclosion in Santo-Domingo, merengue established its supremacy as Latin dance-music. Dominican musicians in exile in New York propagated the genre further, and their orchestras contributed to the great Latin wave which swept over the Fifties. A style as fabulous as it is little-known, at the root of kompa music, pachanga, bachata, bomba and salsa, this authentic merengue music was one of the most influential styles of its time, and one of the great gems of the Caribbean. This anthology compiled by Bruno Blum with a detailed commentary contains treasures which have eluded many for almost a half century. Patrick FREMEAUX