subject: Annual Dominican Republic Jazz Festival To Be Held In November [print this page] Jazz fans from all over the globe come each year to the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival, to hear high-elite musicians from the Caribbean, Central and South America. This year the Jazz Festival celebrates its 15th annual concert, which will be held in the tropical towns of Cabarete and Sosua. Jazz devotees will be able to enjoy Dominican Republic holidays, accompanied by brilliant music, and stunning surroundings.
This four-day and three-night long festival will be held in different spots each day, giving attendees the pleasure of being able to listen to wonderful music, in diverse and beautiful settings. Another one of the fantastic perks is that attendance is free, except for just one session.
Jennifer Kirkman, founder and director of the festival stated: We did this because we wanted as many people as possible to have exposure to jazz and its international character.
The sponsors who supported this idea were the Dominican Republic Minsitry of Tourism, Dominican Republic Ministry of Culture, Ferreteria Ochoa, the Millenium Resort in Cabarete (one of the finest resorts among Dominican Republic hotels) , Sea Horse Ranch in Cabarete (founders) and Ayuntamiento Sosua, among others.
Furthermore, those who attend the festival can have the privilege of sitting in the VIP section along with the musicians and sponsors, for the reasonable price of $150.00. This price includes complimentary Cuba Libres, made with Brugal rum, another one of the sponsors.
Opening night will be on Wednesday, under the stars, in the Parque Mirador Sosua at 8:00 p.m. It will feature the Puerto Varas Jazz Sextet from Chile and Sabrina Esteban, the Dominican Republics Los Dias del Jazz.
Thursdays musical event will be held in the roofed-over, open-sided amphitheatre at one of the most fine-looking Puerto Plata hotels: the Casa Marina Resort, an excellent choice for lodging while attending the festival. Starting at 10:30 a.m. attendees will be able to participate in a workshop/seminar with the Puerto Varas Big Band from Chile, and in the afternoon they can feel free to tour around places like Monkey Jungle and Zip lines or snorkel and scuba dive in the crystal-clear waters of Sosua Bay. The Dominican Republics Tes-A-T and Ismail Miranda from Puerto Plata will be performing in the night session. This nightly event is done for charity, and attendance costs $200.00, the proceeds of which will go to fund special educational music programmes. VIP ticket holders will have this session included in the price.
The following days first activity will be begin at 11:00 a.m. under a tent on Cabarete Beach, with workshops for children, although people of any age range will be able to participated and learn from these exceptional jazz musicians. At one oclock attendees will be able to enjoy a concert for youth by youth, led by the Puerto Varas Big Band, whose musicians are between the ages of 16 and 22. These sessions hope to inspire young people, and encourage them to learn to enjoy and appreciate jazz music.
Vocalists are the 2011 theme, and doing the first honours at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, will be Tutti Druyan from Israel, a young and up-coming vocalist currently studying at the Berkeley College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Xiomara Fortuna, the Afro-Cuban Antillean fusion specialist from the Dominican Republic, will be the following act, and to turn up the heat Gema Corredera, an amazing and accomplished Cuban singer will close the nights event.
Cabarete Beach is not only a beautiful sight for those enjoying Dominican Republic holidays, it also boasts approximately 15 restaurants and bars where attendees can enjoy local seafood, Italian food steaks and an Irish sports pub. The last evening, on Saturday, begins its show at 9:00 p.m., still on the beach, with Rando Camasta from the Dominican Republic and Jerry Medina y La Banda from Puerto Rico. The audience floor will turn into a dance-floor for this last event, and musicians may feel free to improvise after the show.
