Daniel Ponce dead at age 59 - March 14th Mimi Beach Florida.

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Daniel Ponce dead at age 59 - March 14th Mimi Beach Florida.

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Wed Mar 20, 2013 10:48 pm

Daniel Ponce died short of his 60th birthday at 59 years of age.
He would've turned 60 on July 21st of this year.
He died on March 14th in Miami Beach.
Upon his arrival to NY in 1980 along with Puntilla and others, they changed and modernized how percussion was being played that had gone stale due to the Cuban (embargo) situation.
As they sang, "Somos los cubanos que venimos invadiendo, la timba no es como ayer" (via Jon Jax).

Daniel Ponce a seminal figure and colorful master of the 'Cuban' Tumbadora brought with him during the historic exodus which took place during the early 1980's from the Port of Mariel in Havana to Miami Florida, a new fresh and highly stylized "youthful" form of contemporary playing to New York City and the U.S. in general.
To my knowledge, Daniels tasteful use of the Okonkolo Bata in Herbie Hancock's composition 'Rockit' was a first in 'that genré' of music.

When I moved back here to Manhattan, N.Y.C. in 1986 (after 16 years in New Orleans), I would see him often at 'The Village Gate' and gigging around town.
He occasionally would hang out and play at the Central Park Rumba's and also at rumbones that took place during the cold Manhattan winters inside an old VFW post in the east village.

I played rumba with him many times, if he didn't like what was going on, he could be very hard, as he had a very tough "Cuban street personality".
There was always talk that he carried a pistol in his sock, though I was more interested in playing with him than what was in his sock.
If he liked you, everything was cool.
We got along great.

A lot of players had a difficult time "adjusting to his style" (didn't like him) when he first arrived on the N.Y.C. scene, as he had as well as played with real "Cuban attitude", a very "physically powerful" fresh new style which "intimidated" many of the older and younger established players here in N.Y.C.

I can say that there were two stylistic influences on my own individual developmental style.... Ramon 'Mongo' Santamaria.. and Daniel Ponce.
I'll always remember his "Mr. Cool" face he had when he played.

For me, his first solo L.P. "New York Now" as well as his participation with Orlando "Puntilla " Rios on the L.P. "From La Habana To New York"
are great works with his style clearly evident.
http://fidelseyeglasses.blogspot.com/search?q=Daniel+Ponce

Ibayé bayé tonu.
R.I.P. / D.E.P.
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Re: Daniel Ponce dead at age 59 - March 14th Mimi Beach Flor

Postby ABAKUA » Wed Mar 20, 2013 11:42 pm

Thanks for the additional info brother.
Original thread here: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8650 I will merge this thread into the original later tonight once I get home from work.
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Re: Daniel Ponce dead at age 59 - March 14th Mimi Beach Flor

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Wed Mar 20, 2013 11:49 pm

ABAKUA wrote:Thanks for the additional info brother.
Original thread here: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8650 I will merge this thread into the original later tonight once I get home from work.


Sorry, appears I obviously missed those posts.
Thank you for showing them to me.
Over the last few days I could find nothing relating to his passing on the net, including in Google.
Regards,
Markito.
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