About the film "El duque de la Bachata"

Working Title: El Duque de La Bachata

Producer: Adam Taub/Horizon Line Documentary. Horizon Line's mission statement is to sensitively tell insightful stories on a broad range of topics using audio/visual media. For more information on Horizon Line's most recent completed documentary La Quinceañera click here.

Director's Statement: People often ask me how I became involved with this project "The Duke of the Bachata." I have been a fan of bachata for a number of years and during my time at university spent a year in the Dominican Republic studying. It was during this time that the idea for the documentary took form. I wanted to find a musician who like the music bachata, had their roots in the rural countrysides and the marginalized neighborhoods of the DR. I also wanted to find someone who was not well known, still struggling to make it. I contacted bachata music producer Benjamin de Menil with Iaso Records and he told me about an artist he was working with named Joan Soriano, The Duke of the Bachata. The Duke! That sounded interesting! I got his number and flew to the DR. My plan was to meet many musicians on the trip and then decide who I would like to work with on a doc. Joan was the first one I met and I never searched out any other musicians! The first day, he took me to meet his large family in the countryside and we all got along very well. Joan played music and his dad and sisters danced. I filmed with Joan that trip and on two other trips over the course of a year to get the footage for this doc. I am honored that Joan, his family and community accepted and welcomed me with such amazing hospitaliy and openness. I hope this project honors them and their stories, and that it gives back if only a portion of all they gave to me. I am also very thankful to all those who have offered their support during this documentary process.

Story: El Duque de la Bachata is the story of Joan Soriano, a Bachata Musician from the Dominican Republic, as he struggles to reach his goal of a hit CD and success as a musician. It is also the story of his large extended family living in the rural countryside of Monte Plata as they dream along with him, hoping that his success will improve their economic situation and quality of life.

The bachatas and merengues he plays have their origins in the Dominican Republic yet draw upon a variety of musical influences from regions of Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Soriano is a practitioner of Afro-Dominican traditional salve and palo as well, and he blends these percussive styles with bachata to create a fresh sound.

Joan Soriano is now 36 and lives with his girlfriend in the Santo Domingo barrio of Villa Mella. Joan has been featured on the Rough Guide to the Bachata and on the documentary Santo Domingo Blues as well as performed and recorded with big name bachata musicians such as Joe Veras and Zacarias Ferreira. However, at 36 he still has not had his own hit and is feeling the pressure now to make it big more than ever. Within the last few years, a music producer named Benjamin de Menil from IASO Records has begun recording a CD of Joan's music and is now moving toward the CD's completion with high hopes that it will be a hit.

El Duque de la Bachata is saturated with music, Dominican culture, and intimate portraits. The film is produced and directed by Adam Taub. To view information on Adam's most recent documentary La Quinceañera click here.

Process: The documentary was shot during a number of trips to the Dominican Republic. The Director Adam Taub was the primary cameraman during the process and edited the film as well. This documentary process with a small crew helped facilitate an intimate look at the characters, music and culture of the Dominican Republic.

Target Audience: El Duque de la Bachata is a documentary that will have broad international appeal because of the strong character driven story of a man pursuing his dream. Bachata and merengue music and dance are enjoying great popularity in Latin America, The U.S. and Europe at this time. The Dominican Republic has the largest tourist industry in the Caribbean with tens of thousands of Americans, Germans, French and English visiting each year, gaining exposure to the music and culture. In addition to its international appeal, there are over 9 million Dominicans that are hungry for content which sensitively represents their culture and music. Large Dominican populations exist outside of the Dominican Republic as well including 1 million Dominicans in New York, and large populations in Boston, Florida and Spain. There is a fast growing demand for Hispanic video content and this documentary will participate in meeting that demand.

Buena Vista Social Club is an example of a documentary that achieved success portraying a character driven story and Latin music. Shot in Cuba and New York Wim Wenders's film was released to critical acclaim, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary feature and winning numerous accolades including Best Documentary at the European Film Awards. The film became a box office success, grossing $23,002,182 worldwide. Critics were generally enthusiastic about the story and especially the music. The success of both the album and film sparked a revival of international interest in traditional Cuban music and Latin American music in general. The CD sold more than five million copies and won a Grammy award in 1998.