Venezuelan Merengue - Venezuelan Merengue Outside of Venezuela

Venezuelan Merengue Outside of Venezuela

Outside of Venezuela, Merengue simply did not catch on. Even on its heyday very few composers and bandleaders dedicated any effort to this form, maybe because of the difficult rhythm. Trinidadian Lionel Belasco composed, performed and recorded some Venezuelan Merengues and Waltzes between the 1910s and the 1930s. Venezuelan composer Aldemaro Romero had a shot in the 1950s with an international release that included several merengues, but didn't go very far in the charts. More recently, Paquito D'Rivera wrote a Merengue, again, simply titled Merengue Venezolano.

Perhaps the best hope for the preservation of the form lies in the labor of active musicians that continue to compose, perform and teach merengue in other countries. Guitarist Aquiles Báez, multi-instrumentalist and educator Jackeline Rago, Canadian-based Ensemble Çavana, and the aforementioned Barradas and Gurrufío all are active practitioners of Venezuelan music worldwide.