EARLY YEARS
Born in Amsterdam the Netherlands, Freddy’s talent was recognized at a young age and he started learning congas at the age of 12. Freddy was honoured to study latin percussion with Raoul Burnet who was regarded as the best conga player and teacher in Western Europe.
Raoul was a master percussionist (one of the first musicians endorsed by LP – Latin Percussion in the Netherlands) and an expert in Afro Cuban rhythms. Raoul Burnet played with music legends such as Patato Valdez, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Wilson Picket, Art Blakey and many more.
After Raoul’s sudden death, Freddy started to play kit drums as well to reggae music, ska music and funk. In the 80’s he joined the band Revelation Time that quickly grew into the best afro reggae band in the Netherlands and one of the finest in Europe. Freddy's hard hitting Reggae drumming style and tight groove was very much acknowledged and respected in those days and he was quoted by music magazine ''Oor" as one of the best Reggae drummers in Europe. Revelation Time was also the very first Dutch reggae band that had a single released in Jamaica on the Tuff Gong label 56 Hope Road in 1987 with the song Captain Dread. This was mixed by Bob Marley's engineer Errol Brown. Revelation Time had a top 40 hit in Europe with a song called South Africa . Freddy played drums and percussion with this band for over 12 years and toured Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Sweden, Malta and Italy.
Revelation Time backed up Jamaican/UK artists such as Lee Perry, Benjamin Zephaniah, Nereous Joseph, Alan Kingpin (The Regulars) and Eek a Mouse, and supported well-known bands such as Ziggy Marley, Steel Pulse, Aswad, Alpha Blondy, UB40, Inner Circle , Ossibisa, Saleif Keita, Toure Kounda, Senemali, Kumbi Saleh and Fela Kuti.
AUSTRALIA 2000-2016
In the late 90’s Freddy found a passion for West African rhythms and in particularly djembe drumming from Guinea West Africa. In 2000 Freddy moved to Australia.
Being in Australia for a couple of years, Freddy made an impact on the WA Music Scene and this time more as a percussionist. He has played with Latin Jazz group Descarga (featuring Chris Tarr, Tom O’hallaran, Troy Roberts, Dane Anderson, Des White, Jeremy Grieg, Matt Jodrell), LC Salsa, Los Chasquis, Latin Fusion, was the founding member of WAADA (now Akwaaba) , Mike Pigneguy, Glynn MacDonald, with Russell Borrows in Odai Nmai’s group, WAAPA’s award winning Defying Gravity, WAAPA Latin Music Ensemble, Lamine Sonko, Brenda Lee, Mohamed Bangoura, Ziggy Bey Diagne, Glenn Shorrock (Little River Band) in the Perth Concert Hall, Percussion Group Wongai featuring Guinea Master Drummer Mohamed Bangoura, Barney McAll, Paul Tanner, Funkalleros, Lafaya (Mauritian Community band), Jason Heerah (Australia's top drummer from Electric Empire and currently on X Factor 2014), Thierryno Gangou (One of Mauritius most versatile keyboard players), Nuevo Salsa Orchestra with Marty Purvan, Mutima Band with Wajipha Congwe, Souljah Kaptives (NZ Reggae), Shahira Jazz and 6xWAMi winner with Grace Barbe as best World Music Act in Western Australia.
With the Grace Barbe Afro Kreol band Freddy has performed as a drummer and percussionist at SAKIFO Reunion Island 2010, Iomma 2011 Reunion Island, Reggae Donsa Mauritius 2011, WOMADELAIDE 2012, Byron Bay Blues and Roots in 2010 and 2011, Blue Mountains Festival 2010, Queenscliff Festival 2009 and Woodford Folk Festival in 2009,2009 and 2012, Nannup Music Festival 2010, Fairbridge Folk Festival in 2010 and 2011, WOMAD Adelaide 2012, Port Fairy 2013, WOMAD NZ 2013.
Because of his travels to Mauritius and Reunion Island, Freddy has emerged himself into the music styles like the Sega and the Seggae. In 2010 the Mauritian Perth based group Lafaya (with Freddy as drummer) were the backing band for the famous Mauritian vocal duo Nancy Derougere and Mario Justin and in 2011 Freddy was the percussionist for a Mauritian Allstar band called Tamtam Nostalzi with Jason Heerah, Thierryno Gangou (his mentor in Mauritian music), Damien Binzagou and Gerard G backing up Mauritian sega pioneers Serge Lebrasse (81), Jean-Claude Gaspard (65), and Roger Clency (80).
Since 2013 Freddy's focus has been on the following music projects in Australia:
Shahirah Jazz - A Jazz Latin trio
Ngati - A NZ Reggae and R&B band
Nuevo Salsa Orchestra - Latin Big Band S
ouljah Kaptivez - A NZ Reggae band
Mutima Band with Wajipha Chongwe - Afro grooves
December 2013 Ngati launched their first CD (produced by Freddy) .
March 2014 Mutima performed at Nukara Folk Festival, launched their first CD (produced by Freddy) and made a strong impression.
April 2014 Latin/Funk Groove bad Funkalerros rocked the house at Fairbridge Folk Festival with Freddy as the drummer.
November 2015 Mutima launched a second CD (produced by Freddy) at the Mojos club in Fremantle.
TEACHING AND WORKSHOPS IN AUSTRALIA TILL 2016
As a hand percussionist Freddy conducts djembe and conga drumming workshops, teaches in Perth and Fremantle, he works with organisations such as CanTeen, Telethon, UWA WAAPA, Perth Jazz Society and Camp Quality and numerous schools.
From 2005 till 2016 Freddy has been a casual lecturer and performer at ECU WAAPA (West Australian Academy of Performing Arts)where he has been working over the last years with WAAPA’s award winning percussion group Defying Gravity and it's director Tim White, lecturer in percussion at the WA Academy of Performing Arts and Principal Percussion with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
Over the last 5 years in Perth Freddy has joined Human Rhythms Pty Ltd in their newly formed WA office where he plays the role of co-facilitator on corporate team building workshops.
Since 2005 Freddy has organised 7 successful Drum Camps called “Back to the Roots” in Jarrahdale WA . Together with Guinean Master Drummer Mohamed Bangoura from Sydney workshops are being held in traditional Djembe drumming, Dance and Afro Cuban drumming. Mohamed Bangoura recognised Freddy’s talent and passion acknowledged him as a Djembe instructor.
Freddy is also the Australian agent for the world famous Mamady Keita, the grand master of djembe. Mamady has done 2 workshop tours through Australia in 2008 and 2009.
BACK IN THE NETHERLANDS 2016
In March 2016 Freddy moved back to the Netherlands, the word was out that one of the hardest Reggae drummers was back in Europe and soon enough he was performing again. He is a specialist Reggae drummer in demand but also upcoming singers from the Netherlands, Suriname and Jamaica are now using his own riddims/compositions/productions.
Freddy is currently the drummer for the following acts and artists:
The Redemption Band - A great Reggae backing band formed by master bassplayer Bunn Riley - I just had the tremendous honour to perform with this band backing up Ky-mani Marley in Dubai and the Seychelles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSZWa1rlDFA&feature=youtu.be
Culture ft Kenyatta Hill - The legendary vocal trio with Kenyatta Hill replacing his late father Joseph Hill. Backed by the Redemption Band touring through Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQoKviqnwXk
Eek A Mouse - He is one of the early artists to be described as a "singjay". Backed by The Redemption Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXU4fIZFiS8
ETANA "The strong One" - Award wining female reggae vocalist with a voice to die for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TfyQBej8NA&t=170s
Warrior King - a Jamaican reggae singer known within the Caribbean and internationally for his music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqgwIdyECxk
Nkulee Dube - Lucky Dube's daughter following in her father's footsteps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkm9EKHenOw&t=304s
Ziggi Recado and the Force - Ziggi is the number one Reggae artist in the Netherlands and internationally acclaimed. Concerts done in Germany, Netherlands and Romania.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJU9nCdSfVw
Mitchell Brunings – participated in The Voice 2013 for his rendition on Bob Marley’s Redemption Song and has been the leading role in the Life of Marley in theatre shows over the USA and the UK as the man himself. I had the honour to perform with Mitchell in Montego Bay, Jamaica
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTZf9ny2xf8
Jampara Makangira and the Batalion - performances at Kwakoe Juli 2016, Almere World Music Festival August 2016 and in Amsterdam Paradiso December 2016.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjeQ5rqeN34
Rapha Pico, Benelux Reggae Contest winner who is the very talented son of Djeynah Delbety, former singer of Revelation Time. (coincidence does not exist). Peformances in Poland at the Ostroda international Reggae festival!
https://youtu.be/kbEDQBN_te8?t=2m12s
Censi Rock and the Collective Evolution Band, Censi is a gifted singer from the north of Holland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tp0uTtPoO4
Freddy Poncin
info@freddyponcin.com
PH +31 6 41122696
http://www.freddyponcin.com