Introduction by: Emmanuel Espinal

Audio interview by: Marlon Bishop

Since the inception of Esendom, as a Dominican cultural media, merengue típico has been a constant theme as it is an integral part of our culture as it is our national music and folkloric identity. Luckily our efforts to shed light to the importance of merengue típico have not gone unnoticed. Back in November of 2012 we had the pleasure of being part in helping disseminate the growth of this special genre in the city of New York within the new generation of artists that are giving it rejuvenation. Marlon Bishop, who is a radio producer, writer and reporter with a particular love for music as part of public radio segment for WNYC, interviewed Edwin Torres, accordionist, Fernando Guzmán, vocalist, and Ray “Chinito” Díaz, percussionist and leader of Ripiao’ Kingz. The interviews became part of a five (5) minute segment called Squeeze Play, which focuses on accordion music of Latin America, for the radio broadcast of Latino USA.

For this segment of Squeeze Play, accordion playing in merengue típico by this new generation was the theme that was represented by Edwin Torres who is himself the grandchild of the renowned composer and accordion player, Ramfis Torres. As a small tribute in this piece you can hear him play a melodic piece of one of Ramfis’ hits called “El tiro ’e Balilo”. Below is a link of the Squeeze Play segment by Marlon. We hope you enjoy the segment.

Link to webcast:

http://www.futuromediagroup.org/lusa/2012/12/07/squeeze-play-perico-ripiao/