Marivell Contreras Showcases Félix del Rosario’s Jazz Legacy in New Orleans

Dominican journalist, writer and cultural researcher Marivell Contreras brought the musical legacy of saxophonist and bandleader Félix del Rosario to the international stage during the Dominican NOLA Fest in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her academic presentations explored the connections between jazz and Afro-Caribbean music while highlighting the Dominican musician’s role in transforming merengue.

Contreras, president of the Association of Art Critics (Acroarte), delivered two presentations on Del Rosario at the New Orleans Jazz Museum and New Orleans City Hall. The visit, coordinated by Dominican producer Fermín Ceballos, founder of the Dominican NOLA Fest, also strengthened institutional ties between Acroarte and the museum.

How Félix del Rosario Connected Jazz and Merengue

In her lecture, titled “Jazz in Félix del Rosario’s Merengue Revolution,” Contreras examined the musical influences and arrangements that helped reshape Dominican orchestras from the 1960s onward. She focused on Del Rosario’s classical and jazz training, his command of the saxophone and flute, and his contribution to modernizing the sound of merengue.

Del Rosario, who lived from 1934 to 2012, led influential ensembles including Los Magos del Ritmo and Santo Domingo All Star. His musical approach incorporated sophisticated harmonies, counterpoint and improvised solos while preserving the distinctive rhythmic drive of merengue.

Contreras also discussed works associated with Del Rosario, including “Skokiaan” and “Papá Bocó,” illustrating how jazz techniques could interact with Dominican popular music without sacrificing its identity.

“Félix del Rosario was not only a virtuoso of the saxophone and flute, but a visionary who demonstrated that merengue could engage with jazz structures at the highest level,” Contreras said during the presentation, which drew cultural specialists and Dominican, Latin American and North American representatives.

Acroarte and New Orleans Jazz Museum Strengthen Cultural Ties

Beyond the academic program, Contreras’s visit sought to deepen cooperation between Acroarte and the New Orleans Jazz Museum. The proposed areas of collaboration include technical and archival exchanges, museum exhibition practices, educational programming and efforts to preserve the musical heritage shared across the Caribbean.

The discussions also connected with Acroarte’s broader cultural initiatives, including its Hall of Fame of Dominican Art and Culture. The collaboration aims to expand opportunities to document and present Dominican artists internationally while highlighting historical links between the country’s musical traditions and those of New Orleans.

“For Acroarte, strengthening ties with a global reference such as the New Orleans Jazz Museum represents an invaluable opportunity to showcase the richness of Dominican art and culture and continue documenting the shared musical heritage of creators such as Félix del Rosario,” Contreras said.

The initiative underscores the value of cultural partnerships in preserving musical history and introducing Dominican artists and traditions to international audiences. By bringing Del Rosario’s work into an academic and museum setting in the birthplace of jazz, the program highlighted the connections between Dominican merengue and wider Afro-Caribbean and jazz traditions.

Dominican NOLA Fest Brings Music, Literature and Dance to New Orleans

The presentations formed part of a three-day cultural program featuring music, literature, dance, gastronomy and exchanges with educational and government institutions in New Orleans. The festival was organized by Fermín Ceballos and Socorro Brenk, whose work Contreras acknowledged following the event.

She also thanked New Orleans Jazz Museum director Greg Lambousy and Taslya Mejía, who oversees events and international relations, as well as Alana Harris, deputy director of tourism, arts and culture for New Orleans. Harris presented Contreras with a certificate recognizing her as a distinguished visitor to the city.

Music played a central role in illustrating the lecture’s themes. Professor Alexander Vásquez and the orchestra from Liceo Asensión Nicole in Monte Plata performed jazz pieces associated with Del Rosario, including “Skokiaan” and “Camila.” The performances complemented the academic discussions and received enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Contreras also expressed appreciation to Kimberly Causey, inclusion and community coordinator at Isidore Newman School, and to Jerry Reyes for the hospitality provided at the Westin Hotel in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

The Dominican NOLA Fest’s combination of scholarship, live performance and institutional engagement offered a platform for celebrating Félix del Rosario’s contribution to Dominican music. The collaboration between Acroarte and the New Orleans Jazz Museum further positions the preservation of Caribbean musical heritage as a shared cultural endeavor, connecting artists, educators and institutions across national borders.