The Famous Bachateros, the Baby Face of the Bachata, Jimmy Bauer was the closing act of the Sydney International Bachata Festival. We were able to get an EXCLUSIVE interview with Bachateros before his live concert on Sunday, last day of the festival.

BACHATEROS (B): This is Juan Ruiz from Bachateros, and I have in front of me Jimmy Bauer, who is currently in Australia as part of the Sydney International Bachata Festival.

Jimmy, WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA! It is a pleasure to have you here, and to have you perform a LIVE Concert at the Sydney Bachata Festival.

JIMMY BAUER (JB): Thank you guys for having me here, it is a pleasure for me to be here and represent Bachata and the Dominican Republic, and to be part of such an important event. I’ve been enjoying my stay here in Australia from the first day I arrived, and now I’m getting ready to perform live in front of the Australian audience.

(B): How long have you been in the music industry, and how long have you been singing Bachata?

(JB): I started since I was a teenager; I’ve been in the music industry more than 20 years. I’ve been singing Bachata for almost 5 years now. The experience has been wonderful so far, and I feel bless to be part of it.

(B): WOW, so 20 years in the music industry, and 5 years singing Bachata as a solo singer. What made you decide to focus on Bachata and how is your Bachata music different to other Bachata styles?

(JB): It’s an interesting story, I was a “Merenguero” all my life (a person that signs Merengue), as I used to love Merengue back in the day. Bachata came to my life thanks to my producer, as he introduced me to Bachata and his new concept (meaning the different sounds, harmonies and concepts that we could create with Bachata music). We started working in 2003 and our first production was out in 2004. The Bachata music that is played today started with that movement, with people like Aventura, my producer and I wanting to make Bachata music evolve, exploring it a lot more and giving it a unique touch, which enabled people to identify it from the others. This is what we call Bachata-fusion, or more commonly known as Bachata-Pop. We pushed the limits of the Bachata genre and now, many singers are following our influence. I wouldn’t say I was the one that started it, but I can say I was part of that movement. Jimmy Bauer’s music can be easily identified from other Bachata singers from today. For me, I feel that I was chosen to represent this new genre in Bachata that has swept the world.

(B). So you are one of the key people that have initiated this new movement for Bachata by mixing Bachata and pop together. Let me ask you, how do you see Bachata now? In 5 years? In 10 years?

(JB).  I believe that Bachata will reach places that no-one thought before. Actually, it has already happened, like here in Australia! Nowadays, Bachata music is also for people of all nationalities who like to dance, as they don’t have to speak Spanish to understand and feel the music. In 5 years, it is going to be even bigger than now. For example, in Australia, the Asian, German and other communities are already listening to Bachata, which is an indication that other cultures are listening as well. I think this is phenomenal as for us, the artists, it is so important that our music (Dominican music) reach countries and people that we never thought we could reach.

(B). Now that you are here in Australia, and have you seen us dance… do you think Australians love Bachata?

(JB). WOW… I got to tell you…. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, Australians love Bachata!! They have given it so much passion, lots of hearts, which is missing from other places. I think Australians have adopted and embraced Bachata, as if it was their music! J This is something that is admirable to witness.

(B). Thanks for this, I’m sure Australia is different that your home country, tell me, do you have any funny anecdotes whilst here in Sydney?

(JB). Ha ha ha, the first thing is the traffic and the driving directions, as I always look to the “wrong” side of the road before crossing streets. Finally yesterday, I got used to go to the “right” side of the car to get into the passenger seat. I have never experience this before, and being in the car, watching the cars drive in the opposite line as we are used to, well… sometimes you think they are going to crash!!

(B). When you get back to New York and see all your Bachateros friends, how would you be able to describe the Sydney International Bachata Festival?

(JB). MAGICAL, EXTRAORDINARY with lots of passion to the music and to the dancing!

(B). Any final words to all the Australian people?

(JB). It was been wonderful to be here, the people are wonderful. The hospitality is so incredible that it makes me want to come and live here.

I hope to see you guys soon, and I hope that you guys keep growing at the rate that you guys are going, as I would like to see even more people coming to this event and to the Bachata classes, as I beleive that you guys are really “beautifying” the dance.

Jimmy Bauer’s MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/elbabyfacedelabachatajimmybauer

http://www.myspace.com/jimmybauertheofficialpage

Jimmy Bauer’s YouTube channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/jimmybauer1

Written by –  Juan Ruiz. Juan is the director of Bachateros Online Magazine and also a bachata instructor, pioneer of the Bachata Moderna style. He’s also one of the organizers of the Sydney International Bachata Festival.