Frédéric Jacquemin

Belgian jazz and pop drummer Frédéric Jacquemin began learning music by playing the piano at the age of four under the guidance of his mother, a professional musician.

He started playing drums at the age of six, and enter a classical percussion class two years later at the academy. He started his professional career at the age of fourteen, both as a percussionist at the Opéra de Wallonie, and as a drummer in balls.

In this manner, he made a living early on, which allowed him to buy and listen to many records which formed the basis of his musical culture.

In 1981, he met the saxophonist Pierre Vaiana, who motivated him to enroll at the jazz seminar in Liege, where he stayed a few years, meeting many musicians and/or teachers: Bill Frisell, Kermit Driscoll, Bruno Castellucci, Michel Hatzigeorgiou, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse …

After that, he enrolled at the Royal Superior Conservatory of Brussels, where he studied for three years, with Georges-Elie Octors as percussion teacher. At the same time, he performed regularly at jazz concerts. It was during this period that he listened to many musicians in Parisian clubs, meeting André Ceccarelli, with whom he took a few lessons. During the next ten years, he was as active in pop as in jazz, versatility being a common characteristic of most Belgian musicians.

In 1996, he made another decisive meeting, that of the bassist Thierry Fanfant, who introduced him to Michel Fugain with whom he went on tour. Through his professional encounters, he played a series of gigs, appeared in TV shows (notably those of French TV-star Nagui), and finally settled in Paris in 1997.

He then went on the road with many pop artists (Bernard Lavilliers, L5, Pierre Rapsat, San Severino, …), while working with big jazz names (Toots Thielemans, Judy Niemack, Lee Konitz, Michel Herr…). In just a few years, he has become an essential musician on the French jazz scene.

Besides those cited here above, Fred has played among many others with: Michel Hatzigeorgiou, Greg Badolato, Marc Berthoumieux, Dominique Fillon, Fabrice Alleman, Franck Tortiller, Sylvain Beuf, Éric Legnini, Jean-Marie Ecay, Michel Herr, Scott Coley, Hein Van De Geyn, Pierre Van Dormael, Jean Warland, Laurent Vernerey, Nathalie Loriers, Steve Houben, Pino Palladino, Thierry Fanfant, Sax no end, Jean-Jacques Milteau, Manu Galvin, Michel-Yves Kochmann, Linley Marthe, Tony Bonfils, Laurent Cokelaere…

He has notably accompanied on tour and TV shows: Nolween Leroy, Laurent Voulzy, Michel Sardou, Natasha StPierre, Michel Fugain, Ophélie Winter, Véronique Sanson, Philippe Lafontaine, Richard Rousselet, Judy Niemack, Maurane, Adamo, Frédéric François, David Linx, Jeanfrançois Prins, Tony O’Maley, Lio, Jane Birkin etc….

Fred devotes most of his time to his “Real Drums” studio in Paris.

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