STAGE TUBE: Preview Bachatero Joan Soriano, Touring U.S. Summer 2012

With La Familia Soriano, released by iASO Records this spring, the internationally acclaimed bachata legend Joan Soriano has perfected his down-to-earth style of shantytown bachata. His band is composed of members of his musical family, including his two sisters Griselda and Nelly, and his brother Fernando. Together, they will be touring the US this summer and performing new songs from the album-and from Joan's debut, El Duque de la Bachata.

Check out the "NPR Tiny Desk Concert" below to get a feel for Joan Soriano's musical style.

La Familia Soriano reached #3 on the Billboard Tropical chart this summer.

Joan Soriano's music has always been a family affair. The seventh of fifteen Brothers and Sisters, half of whom are professional musicians, he grew up playing in a band led by his older brother Tatico, who helped him fashion his first guitar from a can of cooking oil and fishing wire when he was 5 years old. At 13, Joan left home and made his way to Villa Mella, a notorious Dominican shantytown that is the heartland of bachata. It wasn't long before he was playing with the legends of classic bachata. He was introduced by one of them to Benjamin de Menil, the New York-based founder of iASO Records, which specializes in traditional Dominican music. (iASO has produced Bachata Roja and Puerto Plata, among others) de Menil produced La Familia and El Duque, and iASO is organizing the upcoming U.S. tour, following Joan & Familia's acclaimed 13 city European tour this spring.

Also contributing to La Familia Soriano are Joan's sister Amparo (chorus) and her husband Julián Pacheco (bass guitar and choruses). The Sorianos' musical intimacy, derived from years of playing and living together, shines through the recording.

On the upcoming tour the band will include Griselda, Fernando and Julián, together with Roberto Santos (of Bachata Roja Legends) on drums and Carlos Lapaix (who played in El Duque) on güira.

At 40, Soriano has collaborated with many of the great bachata legends, and is on his way to becoming one himself. His compositions are more modern, but more traditional than that of young U.S.-based bachata stars like Aventura and Prince Royce. Soriano's songs embody the playful, unvarnished earthiness of Santo Domingo's streets and countryside.

La Familia Soriano U.S. Summer Tour Dates:

July 6
San Francisco, CA
Café Cocomo

July 7
Sacramaneto, CA
TBA

July 8
San Francisco, CA
Impala
Hot Bachata Nights

July 11
Denver, CO
La Rumba

July 14
Butte, MT
Montana Folk Festival
National Council for the Traditional Arts

July 15
Butte, MT
Montana Folk Festival
National Council for the Traditional Arts

July 18
Los Angeles, CA
Steven's Steak House

July 21
San Diego, CA
TBA

July 27
Lowell, MA
Lowell Folk Festival
National Council for the Traditional Arts

July 28
Lowell, MA
Lowell Folk Festival
National Council for the Traditional Arts

July 29
Lowell, MA
Lowell Folk Festival
National Council for the Traditional Arts

August 1
North Bethesda, MD
Strathmore

August 4
Madison, WI
Sugar Maple Festival

August 8
Bethlehem, PA
Musikfest