The Festival will be held in Zona Colonial Saturday June 23,2012.

The 2012 Music Festival will be held in Santo Domingo on Saturday June 23 throughout the parks and streets of Colonial Zone. They supply schedules of the different musical and theatrical events. You just need to stroll the streets and see what is happening. It is a night out for all, young and not so young. There will be performances in the parks, museums, theaters and other unique spots throughout the old city. All performances are free to the public. You just might be surprised at the music genres and maybe you will discover something new and broaden your musical tastes.

After May 18, 2012 inscriptions are open. Anyone who wants to join the program for this event can sending an e-mail to the cultural department of the Alliance Française de Santo Domingo: cultura@afsd.net. You must include the registration form found on their web site (http://www.afsd.net). This is an event for all people young and old. It does not matter if you are professional or amateur. All types and styles of music is wanted, rock, orchestra, jazz, and more. If you want to preform send in the registration.

More information in French, Spanish and English http://fetedelamusique.culture.fr

Miguel in recent years worked for the radio station 91.7 FM “The Rocka”. He had to leave this station because of health issues. There were many concerts held by those who loved him to help with medical expenses. The last was called “Concierto Unidos por un Amigo” and it was held on April, 4, 2012.

The funeral service will be on May 11, 2012 at the funeral home/ funeraria Savica on Av. Pasteur #103, Gazcue, front of the edificio de Telecentro. About 4pm today, , Miguel will have a Christian burial will be in the panteón del Círculo de Locutores, Cementerio Cristo Redentor.

Rest in Peace!/ Descansa en paz!

de This is an exerpt from the raidio program Heavy Metal recorded Tuesday July 22, 1986 from la X -102.

People were evacuated from their homes in a Province of Santiago where they had a windstorm/ un ventarrón, hailstorm/ una granizada and heavy downpours/ aguaceros fuerte. A gale strom/ ventarrón that happened in Navarrete led to falling trees, power lines and damage to agriculture. In Puñal, Santiago there was flooding due to problems with the storm drains. The communities of Los Peinados, Los Contreras, Juana Rodriguez Arriba and Juana Rodriguez Abajo and Loma Colorado are all cut off from the outside world because of the Yuna River flooding.
image dominicanodigital.com

The National Weather Office/ la Oficnia Nacional de Meteorología (Onamet) and The Emergency Operations Center/ El Centro de Operaciones de Emergencias (COE) authorities called on citizens to follow the guidelines, even though the rains are diminishing the rivers and streams are overloaded and carry much water and may cause flash floods. Due to frequent rains and the saturated soil many areas will and have suffered landslides.

Be careful in low-lying areas. The highways can become very hazardous in a wink of an eye when the rain falls heavily.

It seems that different areas of the country will be experiencing rains again this week. Be careful out there.

JC Taxi took the highway pictures as he traveled yesterday.

More information about all things Weather in Dominican Republic.

Election day is on Sunday so all the people who do want to vote can return to their home towns or wherever they are registered and cast their vote. Elections are fun for all as they have the weekend to see old friends, neighbors and family who have to return to their old neighborhoods to vote. All who vote will have a large black ink stain usually on the left hand index finger. This shows that they voted. The voter proudly shows their painted to all in a finger-up gesture to show they made their decision on who will lead the country.

The main parties and their candidates:
*Partido Liberación Dominicana (PLD) candidates are President Danilo Medina and Vice President (the curent First Lady) Margarita Cedeño de Fernandez. This is the party in control now.
*Partido Revolucionario Dominicano (PRD) candidate for President Hipolito Mejia
*Movimiento Dominicanos por el Cambio (MxC)candidate Eduardo Estrella
*Alianza por la Democracia (APD)candidate Max Puig
*More information at www.jce.gob.do

Recent polls show the 2 leading parties PLD and PRD running neck and neck with as little as 1% or 2% between them. One poll you hear has one party leading while a different poll has another party leading. This means that this election is going to be very interesting to watch with no one knowing the outcome. If the elections are really close it could go to a second round.
Thanks Listin Diario for the picture.

There will be lots of campaigning going on these last 2 weeks before elections. There will be music, dancing, flag waving all in a party type setting. There will be trucks loaded down with speakers playing political campaign music at unbelievable decibel levels. There will be people on the streets, in the parks, anywhere where a group can congregate, there will be campaigning. Just be aware, along with this party atmosphere are people that believe very strongly in their candidate. People are very into talking about political things right now. Conversations can and do get very heated at times. There have been reports of a young man wounded when hit by a stone, one of the district leaders was struck with a bottle and a young woman was injured in the caravan led by Margaret Cedeno. There were also attacks on the motorcade of the current president Leonel Fernandez and the PRD candidate Hipolito Mejia. A reformist sympathizer in Gaspar Hernandez was killed.

Enjoy the party and be aware of what is going on.
Thanks JC Taxi for the picture

A few interesting reads.
http://viewswire.eiu.com/index.asp?layout=VWcountryVW3&country_id=920000292
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/franklin-garcia/dominicans-in-us-could-de_b_1453154.html

The concert includes songs from his latest album A Son De Guerra, released by EMI to market on June 8, 2010. Bringing his new classics “La Guagua” and “Bachata in Fukuoka”, and more to the stage. He will also be playing songs from his Christian Album Colección cristiana released February 28, 2012 and many of his most beloved and favorite songs from throughout his career.

Juan Luis Guerra and 4.40 will be bringing the tour “A son de Guerra” to nearly 20 countries. The tour started August 2011 in Puerto Rico. He played to a full house playing his first time ever in Australia. His will make his rounds throughout Latin America, Europe, Belgium, Zurich, Italy, Spain and more.

Guerra and the 4×40 band will be playing in his home country, Dominican Republic, at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center in Santo Domingo. The last time Juan Luis sang at the Estadio Olímpico was for the concert named “A song of hope for Haiti”/ “Un canto de esperanza con Haití” on April 18, 2010. A benefit concert for the Haitian earthquake victims.

Tickets go on sale May 1st for this concert presented by Orange Dominicana. The concert is scheduled for June 16, 2012 at 8:30PM. Ticket prices start at RD$400 to RD$1,000. They are on sale at Caja Expreso Orange Piantini; Orange Shop Rómulo Betancourt y Orange Shop Calle El Sol de Santiago and in La Sirena y Supermercados Pola.

Juan Luis is the most famous and loved international Latin artist of his time. He plays all types of music including bachata, merengue, jazz, pop and rock. His music is a mix of many types of music. The most recent album is of Christian music. You can find information and see a video – En El Cieol No Hay Hospital – Juan Luis Guerra Newest at the Colonial Zone News Blog.

Get A Son de Guerra

And Coleccion Cristiana at Amazon

Check out all Juan Luis Guerras music at iTunes.

http://juanluisguerra.com

Jazz Picante dedicates the entire month of May to the Blues. Every Wednesday at 9:00 PM in May there will be a live performances by Dominican groups presenting their versions of Blues music for all to enjoy in the Colonial Zone.

May programming is as follows:

02 – Benny and The Cupids
This Dominican Blues Band is Rigo Zapata (bass and vocals); Benny Hiraldo (vocals); Rafelito Suberví (Drums) and David Lozada (guitar) will be playing Blues, Rock, Pop and R & B. They play covers of Alanis Morissette, Tracy Chapman, Amy Winehouse, Rod Stewart, Jason Mraz, Sheryl Crow, Queen, Sade, Stevie Wonder, Big Mountain and more.

09 – The Bluesónicos
This band plays classic rock with fine mixtures and influences from Blues, Country, Folk and others. They play their own interpretations and arrangements of classics by The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Elmore James, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Muddy Waters, with passion and energy.

16 – Masters and Friends – Rockin ‘the Blues
Luis Guzman on keyboards and vocals, Andres Aybar on guitar and vocals, Rigo Zapata on bass and vocals, Eddy Alba will be the lead singer and Sly De Moya will make the Blues come alive!

22 – DR Blues Band
Blues & Jazz as played in New Orleans, the birthplace of Jazz, will be enjoyed. Eric Litman, a native of New Orleans, on saxophone, Wellington Valenzuela on drums, Rigoberto Zapata on bass and Iván Carbuccia on guitar brings a night of Jazz, Blues and more!

30 – Blues Jam 2012
A night full of Blues, Rock and Jazz! With Guitarists, bassists, drummers, pianists, vocalists, flutists, and more will be on the stage with the best of the blues from Robert Johnson to Muddy Waters to Hendrix and Clapton. It is to be a night of high octane.

Hot Jazz at La Cantina is presented by Jazz en Dominicana.
The Mexican Bar and Restaurant La Cantina El Agave is located on Arzobispo Meriño 115, Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo
Every Wednesday the music starts at 9PM
It is free to enter and enjoy the music – No Cover
For reservations: (809) 567-4444

Carlina Duran Baldera, representing La Vega has been de-throned after only one week being Miss República Dominicana. Now the first runner up Dulcita Lieggi Francisco from the National District will take her place in the Miss Universe Contest.

Dulcita is 22 years old, 5 feet 11 inch tall (1.80 m). She is an actress and model. (information on Facebook)

The announcement was made from Puerto Rico by Magali Febles, director of the franchise of the Miss Dominican Republic. The Miss Universe will return to DR to crown the second runner-up, now the contender for Miss Universe, Dulcita Lieggi Francisco.

They are comparing this event to the time that the representative from Santiago, July Ramírez, showed her breasts in 1992 during the swim suit contest to show her unhappiness with the contest organizers.

Here is a little information about the contest with some pictures that I will need to change as I get more information. http://www.colonialzone-dr.com/miss-dr.html

http://missosology.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=133656

The play is about two prisoners in a maximum security prison, pressured by emotional and physical circumstances who meet Sunday evening to recount the story of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. They use story to to transport them to a human adventure located in their imagination. Imagination is the only place reality can not reach. This play promises to bring laughter through the madness and craziness of the characters.

Viena González is the director. Actors: Daniel Sosa, Fernando Pucheu and C. Cordero.

The shows are in April – Friday April 20 and 27th at 8:30PM, Saturday 21 and 28th at 8:30PM and Sunday 22 and 29th at 6:30PM

Location: Teatro Guloya en la Arzobispo Portes 205, Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Come and support our local theater.

Come and live this unique experience with us.

Includes:

• Transportation
• Breakfast
• Safety equipment
• Horseback riding for about 30 minutes
• Walk 40 minutes through the rainforest of Valle Nacional Los Haitises
• Rappel about 18 feet, assisted by our guides
• Exploration of the cave with a distance of 1.4 km approx
• refreshing drink at the cave
• typical Dominican lunch (one drink included, except water).

Note: You must wear a bathing suit, underwear, spare socks for boots that we will lend to you. Also a towel if you want to take a shower after the trip. Insect repellent is suggested.
No cameras are permitted. You can buy the professional video of your trip for only $40usd.

Departure time: 5:30 am
Location: Bomba La Lira
Price: RD $ 2,990

There must be at least 15 people for the tour or it will be canceled. So get a group of friends and visit the Cueva Fun Fun.

You can also book at: reservas@cuevafunfun.net

More information and links to their web site http://www.colonialzone-dr.com/pastimes.html#cueva-funfun

Dominican Republic will be celebrating this event on Friday, April 27th with Sandy Gabriel and Puerto Plata Jazz Ensamble presented by Fiesta Sunset Jazz. Sandy will be doing like he and his ensemble always do, entertain the crowd. They always like to talk among themselves and bring the audience into their joking and conversations. Playing their original arrangements and compositions of Blues, Latin, Funk.

The saxophone player, Sandy Gabriel, is also a band leader, composer and arranger. He won a Casandra Award in 2012 for Concert of the year/ Concierto del año with Jazzeando. He was also nominated for Album of the Year/ Álbum del año with Jazzeando as well.

The concert by Sandy Gabriel and the POP Jaza Ensamble will be recorded as part of the celebrations that will be held internationally as part of this great party.

The concert will be at the weekly location of the Sunset Fiesta Jazz in the
Dominican Fiesta Hotel Casino (Ave. Anacaona #101, Mirador Sur, Santo Domingo) on the 8th floor in La Azotea. Friday April 27, 2012 at 6:30PM.
More information at www.sunsetjazz.com.do and reservations can be made at 809-562-8222

If you cannot make it to the concert you can listen to it live at www.compasillo.com