A lot of businesses closed in Sosua

Oct 11, 2010
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When I'm on Sosua Beach, and a Guitarist approaches, I hear Stairway to Heaven, or House of the Rising Sun.
They know their audience.

When I step off a plane in Cuba, you quickly hear a quartet playing Guantanamera.
They know their audience.

When I step off a plane in Jamaica, you quickly hear Steal Drums.
They know their audience.

And when you step off a plane in Puerto Plata do you hear Stairway to Heaven or House of the Rising Sun?
No, you "quickly" *hear merengue tipico. They also KNOW THEIR AUDIENCE.

Your analogy is poor, your assertions worse.

The guitarist on Sosua Beach plays "Stairway to Heaven" or "House of the Rising Sun", not because he knows his audience, it is all he knows how to play, those are two of the songs in his six song repertoire. However the several small groups of "beach" musicians entertain more locals and tourists than "Felipe" the guitarist, and they play typical Dominican music 99% of the time, to the general delight of their audiences whether local or tourists.

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What would make people really want to go to Downtown Sosua on a Friday night??
Jazz?? Are you kidding? Who picks this $h1T?

Most of the of people "wanting" to go to "Downtown Sosua on a Friday night" would just appreciate something being offered as entertainment. ANY organized entertainment enhances the quality of a Friday night on Pedro Clisante. I am sure even if "Black Sabbath" appeared on stage they would be appreciated. Everybody has their personal musical preferences, sorry you consider Jazz "$hit".

As for choosing Jazz . . .

Nobody specifically CHOSE jazz, and 90% of what was played was not "Jazz" per se, it was mostly contemporary music from many genres. The people providing the entertainment are the "Fundaci?n Educativa de Jazz" (http://drjazzfestival.com/fedujazz/) They are a non-profit foundation that provides free music education for youth of the Dominican Republic with a location in Cabarete. Although their name is the "Jazz Educational Foundation", they teach and perform many different musical styles, as was demonstrated Friday night for those actually in attendance and paying attention. They performed the music of The Beatles, Santana, George Benson, The Eagles, Man?, To?o Rosario as well as many other artists and it certainly wasn't "$hit"

It reminds me, of visiting my Brother, and his pre-teenage son, who proudly shows me his Gaming Cards.
Why? Because in his world, this would ?impress? his friends.

Speaks a lot about your "Brother, and his pre-teenage son", but I digress.

Is someone in Sosua really trying to impress us with ?their sophistication???

As far as the presentation of musical entertainment on Pedro Clisante last Friday night, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Most of the people in the audience Friday night probably wouldn't appreciate the sophisticated nuances of well performed Jazz, so the presentation was intentionally "unsophisticated", and that much more enjoyable for them.


Grow up??? Perhaps you might want to express this sentiment to your brother's "pre-teenage son", it doesn't apply here. Again, I digress.

You need to pick a music that would help Sosua Businesses, and make wallets (sorry people) come.

I am also sorry, again, you are wrong. It is not the responsibility of the ayuntamiento of Sos?a to provide entertainment to the community which generates revenue for Pedro Clisante ("Sos?a") businesses. At the ayuntamiento's expense, they are providing FREE entertainment to the local community as well as tourists. They set-up and provide the performers, stage, electricity, security, etc. Generating revenue is the obligation of the individual businesses, NOT the mayor's office.

This is not... attract the Dominican night.

It certainly IS.

This is not... lure the AI from Casa Marina night.

Why not?

I'm sure that Casa Marina guests would appreciate the free entertainment, it certainly doesn't impinge on their "all-inclusive" budget, and perhaps, just perhaps, it WILL earn some revenue for the Pedro Clisante businesses that normally wouldn't be afforded a visit from the "AI" crowd.

This is not... impress my Friends with how sophistication I am.

It certainly is not, and nobody, except YOU, is representing it as such. It seems you are overly preoccupied with "impressing" people.

The audience is mostly retired or semi-retired couples (from other countries).

They want..*
-Toe Tapping
-Nostalgia
-dance-able, with a clear beat
-and a show
NOT JAZZ!

Again, wrong. The audience was MOSTLY local Dominicans and they enjoyed every moment, as well as the performers and participants who obviously had a great time.

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Nobody involved in providing Friday night's entertainment needs to "grow up" and nobody is trying to "impress" anyone. The mayor's office is simply providing FREE entertainment to the community and it was certainly welcomed by the majority of people in attendance as well as the community at large.

Many of your posts are overly critical of some of the things that are actually beneficial to Sos?a, including your comments about the children's entertainment facilities available at Ocean Village or the prospects for the new AHNVEE hotel project now providing hundreds of local residents with employment, and now in your latest post, the free entertainment being provided on Pedro Clisante.

You have that luxury, as a tourist who obviously knows little of the reality of many things here in the Dominican Republic and specifically Sos?a, as is evident in your posts. We live in a town with very few resources and less public services. Those of us who actually live here as foreigners, and especially the 60,000 Dominican Residents of Sos?a, understand and appreciate the things that are ultimately positive for Sos?a. Instead of sarcastically criticizing them, as well as the very manor in which they are provided, I would rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you move down here and as a full time member of the community learn about what is actually going on, and then post intelligently on how to improve the very things you now criticize.
 

Garyexpat

Bronze
Sep 7, 2012
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I for one love Jazz and enjoy most all live music.
The Dominican Republic has run a Jazz Festival for years. I doubt that if it was not well received it would continue year after year.
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
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Blue Collar Town in New Jersey
If Someone could answer this me as it is perplexing
The Capital, on the Malecon CANT do a Proper Merengue Festival any more..
its done, gone , Toast.... IMHO..
and it was THE Reason, groups of us would buy Plane Tickets, and hit the Capital at a certain time of Summer , every year, with fistfuls of Money to spend , like clockwork.. so please dont tell me it did not help Tourism as we met many couples etc who did the same at that time. Interesting people , sophisticated people in fact, business people. ( no offense to sosua)

So that said

and here we have Sosua , Promoting JAZZ !!!!!!!!!!!..

really ?.....

its just an observation.. not attacking anyone and it sounds NICE and all.
 

aname4me

Active member
Jun 18, 2011
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Dear NY-DR Commuter, my last post appears to have struck a chord with you.

The point of Post #1840 was.... Why would you think JAZZ would attract people Downtown in large numbers?

And in your reply, you say... ?Nobody specifically CHOSE jazz, and 90% of what was played was not "Jazz" ?

So again... why advertise it as a Jazz Night.

People were confused....
In post #1821 windeguy says.... ?I was not there, but was it actually jazz??
Nobody answered him. Apparently nobody knew.

(your words) ?ANY organized entertainment enhances the quality of a Friday night on Pedro Clisante.?
I would 100% agree with that.
I was happy to hear the Mayor was actively helping the Downtown Tourism.
?.but why not call it ?Free Live Music Night?
I think that would have attracted more people.

I still see my post as polite and trying to make a point.


Your reply was (or came across as) very Negative.

The guitarist on Sosua Beach..... ?those are two of the songs in his six song repertoire?.

"Most of the people in the audience Friday night probably wouldn't appreciate the sophisticated nuances of well performed Jazz, so the presentation was intentionally "unsophisticated
", and that much more enjoyable for them".

And then the last couple of paragraphs starts to sound like a personal attack.
?...?I would rather you just said thank you and went on your way?
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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All I know is that, in trying to expand my baroque/renaissance musical tastes, I took "The History of Jazz" when I was a senior in college. (I was a music minor and needed another 3 credits.) I SO didn't get it. I should have dropped it. I got a B-. The lowest grade I ever got in college. Cost me Magna Cum Laude.

900 years later: do I still sound bitter?
 

ju10prd

On Vacation!
Nov 19, 2014
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There is a vibrant growing jazz scene in Dominican Republic and why not. This is not something alien to Latin society. There are popular jazz events weekly in SD. And what about the music of New Orleans...does that not entertain tourists from NA?

See the link below and scroll down and read about your show in Sosua and look forward to the coming annual festival which takes in PP and Cabarete this year in November.

http://drjazzfestival.com/xx-dominican-republic-jazz-festival-noviembre-8-al-12-2016/
 

GringoRubio

Bronze
Oct 15, 2015
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All I know is that, in trying to expand my baroque/renaissance musical tastes, I took "The History of Jazz" when I was a senior in college. (I was a music minor and needed another 3 credits.) I SO didn't get it. I should have dropped it. I got a B-. The lowest grade I ever got in college. Cost me Magna Cum Laude.

900 years later: do I still sound bitter?

I never figured out jazz either. I keep looking for patterns and just end feeling annoyed. I think it just a hoax purpetrated by people who not cool but pretending to be so.
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
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Cabarete
It sure would be nice to see a Latin Music Festival sometime. There's a lot more to Latin music than just bachata and merengue.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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It sure would be nice to see a Latin Music Festival sometime. There's a lot more to Latin music than just bachata and merengue.

In the DR, the vast majority of bands play bachata and merengue(including Tipico). *I have never seen a true salsa band include the north coast on a tour, which is a shame. *As far as other styles of Latin music, I am not away of any bands that play styles from other countries here in the DR. Perhaps they just hang in Santo Domingo where the larger market is.
 

spmc

New member
Nov 7, 2008
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Most Tourists really don't want to hear that much of local music

I do! I would prefer to hear a mix of bachata and merengue with some urbano/dembow/reggaeton mixed in.
Please no hip hop, rock music from the 70's or country western!
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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But rock music from the 70's is the only good music there ever was. :hurt:

That said I would play anything but rap/hip hop/urbano/reggaton/dembow/merengue (including the dreadful Tipico)/.
 

Drak

Member
Jul 7, 2015
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Now with the ongoing story of the fictional new 5 star resort being built and ready for January 2017. Any news?


They're still going at it full-tilt.

Given the amount of years it sat, it will be interesting to see how long / well the facelift lasts (not meaning to be negative, again happy to see redevelopment rather than new lands plowed under).

Directly across the street from it will be a small bar / restaurant from what I gather.

Aside from that, the next one up for an update is the High Caribbean. Might be seeing activity going on there in the next couple weeks too...
 

Seamonkey

Bronze
Oct 6, 2009
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They're still going at it full-tilt.

Given the amount of years it sat, it will be interesting to see how long / well the facelift lasts (not meaning to be negative, again happy to see redevelopment rather than new lands plowed under).

Directly across the street from it will be a small bar / restaurant from what I gather.

Aside from that, the next one up for an update is the High Caribbean. Might be seeing activity going on there in the next couple weeks too...

Thanks. All I see when I drive by are motos and workers shifting dirt and blocks around. Not enough work being done to be open by January. A few workers told me they were making 1000 pesos a day. A pretty good wage.