Various Artists

It’s hard to imagine why the genre represented on this CD would once have rankled the dictator of the Dominican Republic, but art, entertainment and politics can make uncomfortable partners in the best of circumstances. Bachata was the guitar-powered music of the Dominican underclass, akin to blues and tango, but with a gorgeously melodic sound tempered by the simplicity of the performances and straightforward, expressive vocals. Bachata Roja collects rare tracks originally released on tiny indie labels from the 1960s through the ’80s. The language was a slangy local Spanish; as time went on, electric guitars were added, but did little to alter the overall sound.