Latin jazz at its best, the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival, now in its 17th year, will be held in Puerto Plata from Thursday, 31 October to Sunday, 3 November. The first performances by jazz musicians are scheduled for Thursday, 31 October at the Parque Independencia in Puerto Plata. On Friday, on 1 November, there will be a concert at the Casa Marina Beach Resort amphitheater, Sosua and then on Saturday and Sunday, 2 and 3 November, it’s time for the action at Cabarete Beach.
This year’s program includes Abraham Laboriel, Alex Acuna, Rufus Reid and Bernie Williams. For the first time, merengue legend Johnny Ventura and first lady of merengue Milly Quezada bring their La Gallera show directed by Jochy Sanchez to DR Jazz Festival audiences, with emblematic Dominican merengue accompanied by four leading saxophonists.
This year, scenery is once again by Adolfo Faringthon of Puerto Plata.
The event is being sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism.
The Festival has been running since 1992 and is the island’s oldest and leading music festival. Guests have included great musicians like Arturo Sandoval, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Nestor Torres, Ramon Vazquez, Stanley Jordan, Chucho Valdez, Chichi Peralta, Sandy Gabriel, Marco Pignataro, Matt Marvuglio, Danilo Perez, Antonio Sanchez and Claudia Acuna.
Throughout the event, the Fedujazz foundation contributes to the musical education of young people in the area, organizing workshops and clinics for children from the neighboring barrios as well as specialized workshops for musicians. All the musicians playing in the DR Jazz Festival will be giving free workshops aimed at encouraging the musical and cultural development of hundreds of young people who attend the event.