Biography
It’s very likely to think the name Poor Man Friend has something to do with poor people so let’s explain the name a bit more. For Jamaica’s impoverished farmers, growing ‘poor man’s friend’ is one of the few sure ways of earning money. To the Rastafarians the name Poor Man’s Friend is an alias for ganja the healing of the nation. We just liked the name for a Reggae band because it sounded good and because of it’s link with the island Jamaica. Instead of farmers we are the musicians, so to speak, growing a Reggae band named Poor Man Friend. Poor because Reggae music is poor in the Netherlands (i.e hardly airplay). Man where we recall upon mankind to heal the nation by building a strong base for brotherhood and oneness. Friendship to create harmony amongst one another. Let us come together! Unfortunate there’s still the system in between that decides how people live or should live. If you dig deep you’ll notice that even the best Reggaemusic gets somehow concealed by Babylon to be pushed into the background.
Luckily the music is getting more exposure in these days where the dancehall oriented artists reach a much wider audience than the original artists did two decades ago. Poor Man Friend is making and spreading authentic Reggae that sounds Jamaican. A multicultural collective playing popular Jamaican Reggae riddem’s beside own unique Reggae material as well. Poor Man Friend is a foundation based on Irie Reggae vibes pure for pleasure and nothing more than that. It means we shall continue working with strong inspired artist in this area. We love the music and the mission shall have to bring right feelings to as much people as possible. The best thing to make us live as one..
The Reggae band is more to be seen as a platform. Howard and Marcus (aka Kila) brought some musicians together more than 18 years ago to workout the concept of a Reggae sessionband. In the early nineties they initiated and promoted lot’s of Reggae parties cooperating with sound systems who are still active today. Here we saw the opportunity for singjay’s and DJ’s to ride Reggae-riddems in a live set up. This inspired each one involved enormously. In ‘ 99 two new experienced musicians (Fabian and Jan (aka Papa J) replaced the drum and base line of the group in close cooperation with the founders. This became the late session, or as some people prefer to call it, the Reggae showcase band as it is now.
The band has great support by a proffesional horn section. A year later Ras Elijah Nicolesh joined the band followed by Ras Luciano Pinedo. All great brethren and strong moralists working and guiding PMF in the right ways with the right spirit. The mighty God gave us live. Reggae music is live so we live it up . The group got complete and succeeded many times with many different Reggae artists up front. Put the right vibes together when it comes to Reggae artists and musicians and not to forget these years of perseverance. This made Poor Man Friend grow into everlasting spreading vibes on the bigger stages…
More Info
VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-4ZE-QNi1s
