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Vincent Sebastian is a percussionist, music producer, and DJ who creates innovative music and arts-based experiences. He combines his unique musical taste, extensive performance experience, and drumming skills to provide transcendent experiences. He integrates electronic machines and modern technologies into his performances, creating unique blends of live percussion, electronic machines, and a DJ approach. 

He holds a PHD in music, with degrees in psychology, music ,and sound design. His area of specialisation is music, spirituality, and ritual, and the way this has developed from traditional cultural settings into contemporary forms, particularly within electronic music.  He gives lectures and workshops about his research insights developed from his extensive career in music and rhythm. 


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Vincent is based in Sydney Australia and is of Latin American heritage. His career as a music producer, percussionist and dj is founded upon a vast depth of knowledge about his Latin American roots.  His music tastes include Latin, electronica, afrobeat, broken beat, house, and Jazz. 

 

His accolades includes a vast career supporting artists such as Santana, Seun Kuti, Ricky Martin, Los Amigos Invisibles, Los Van Van, Katy Perry, and Earth Wind and Fire, and working at some of the most prominent local and international festivals. He creates innovative music events which specialise in global sounds, electronica, and and and live performance.

 

He also leads the innovative electronic music group OYOBI, which incorporates machine performance with folkloric rhythms and whose debut release was number #1 on the Traxsource Afrolatin charts. He has produced records and remixes for artists such as Pepe Citarrela (Italy), Jorge Montiel (UK), Myles Bigalow (Canada), Qvln (USA), Selomi (South Africa), Barrio Lindo (Berlin) and released music on various global labels such as Imagenes (UK), Prison Records (UK), Vamos (Fr), United Music (HK), Ocha Records (USA) and Atjazz Record Company (Uk).

 

He was the in-house percussionist for the NTT band on the American television show 'Name that Tune' with Randy Jackson and Jane Krakowski, and is endorsed by some great brands including Toca Percussion, Wincent sticks and Protection Racket.  He is also a PHD researcher whose work investigates music-based spiritual practices and their global development. This research is important for understanding how music practice produces transformative experiences, well-being, and knowledge, which Vincent explores in his own music performances and creative projects.

Vincent also manages the recording and production studio "The Nest", an inner city creative hub dedicated to providing music production, recording, and creative composition work. This space caters for an array of emerging professional projects, innovative musical works and collaborations. He is also the founder of XOOK, an online arts platform that initiates conversations with artists on diverse topics such as spirituality, culture, tradition, and art.

 

 

 

 

 

Extended biography

 

Vincent Sebastian is a music producer, percussionist, DJ, and creative entrepreneur that incorporates his passion for Latin folkloric sound and rhythm into his contemporary electronic music, art, and performances. This is most evident in the work of his music group OYOBI, which blends folkloric concepts, rhythm, and sound with modern machines and technology. This ideology is extended onto his music events and creative arts projects which showcase diverse diasporic music, art, and performance from the local Australian music scene. His events depict his passion for experimentation, collaboration, and originality which surfaces in his own compositions and in his collaborations with local artists and performers. This depth of interest stems from his study of the music of his heritage, depicted in his current doctorate work that investigates the music of ritual and its relevance for music performance and art. 

Vincent has recorded on over 10 albums and is an original member of Aria Nominated band Watussi. He has toured alongside Santana and opened for Los Van Van, Earth Wind and Fire, & Sean Kutu, and regularly plays at Australia's most renowned festivals and venues such as Bluesfest, Vivid, and The Opera House. He has composed music and sound design for documentary, film, and corporate media such as Last Man Pictures, Trackdown, The Small Experiment, and Coast Modelling Agency. 

 

He has played with renowned electronic producers Ron Carroll, Love Tattoo, Rob Vission, Sandy Rivera, Chuck Love, & Richard Earnshaw, and is DJ for major corporate events across Australia. Furthermore, his vocals appear on collaborative tracks with All Good Funk Alliance, Rephrase, Merenia Gillies, and Omegaman. He was the in-house percussionist for the NTT band on the American television show 'Name that Tune' with Randy Jackson and Jane Krakowski, and is endorsed by some great brands including Toca Percussion, Wincent sticks and Protection Racket.

He has toured internationally, appearing at the Rainforest Festival (Malaysia), Bogota Festival De Teatro (Colombia), Ulsan Festival (Korea), Osaka Kokolo Festival (Japan), NOMA (thailand), and Ku De Ta (Indonesia). He has also released his own club music productions on French label Vamos, London's Prison Entertainment and Imagenes Records. In 2015 he founded the band Roots Percussion Group and produced and mixed their first self-titled Ep . In January 2017 he released his first self-titled EP Satori on Uk label Imagenes Records. 

 

Previously, he was responsible for establishing the successful Salsa club Club Havana and the renowned live music event Tatlers Underground Latin Jams. These projects are consistent with Vincent's love of Latin culture and electronica and a desire to extend this passion onto an Australian audience.

 

Vincent graduated with a Bachelor of Psychology and a Bachelor of Sound and Music Design (First Class Honours). His academic career has allowed him to further investigate Latin American folkloric and sacred music and its connection to human psychology through altered states and collective experiences. His honours research project explored Cuban Bata drumming, and culminated with an EP of original works.  In 2016 he was awarded the UTS University medal for outstanding achievement for this work. 

In 2017 he received a scholarship from the University of Newcastle to undertake a PHD that investigates Latin American ritual music, which he found was emerging in new forms of contemporary electronica . In this research he unites his vast academic and practical music experience to explore the psychological, technical, and aesthetic developments of ritual initiation and its connection to modern musical developments.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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GIGS/SUPPORTS 

Ricky Martin

Katie Perry

Santana

Earth Wind And Fire

Manu Chao

The Presets

Los Van Van

Suen Kuti & Egypt 80

Rob Vission

Sandy Rivera

Chuck Love

Ron Carroll

Gotan Project

Los Amigos Invisibles

FESTIVALS 

Rainforest Festival (Malaysia)

Good Vibrations 

Bogota Festival (Colombia)

Ulsan Festival (Japan)

Osaka Kokola (Japan)

The Great Escape

Blues and Roots Festival

Peats Ridge Festival

Bacardi Festival

Playground Weekender

Sydney Festival

Fringe Festival

Caloundra Festival

 

CORPORATE CLIENTS

Westpac

About My Brain

Macquarie Bank

JP Morgan

Commonwealth bank

Tony and Guy

Westfield

Fairfax

News Corporation

Merivale

Optus

Telstra

Vodafone

MEDIA 

Sideshow

ABC Radio

FBI

Triple JJJ

SBS Radio

Sunday Social ABC

The Brag

The Drum

Japan Kokolo FM

PBS

2SER

Rhythm Magazine

The Australian

 

Selected Career Highlights

RECORDINGS

The Goods, Casandra, Remix, 2021, (Producer/ Remixer)

Milan, AYFA, Astral People, Remix, 2020, (Producer/ Remixer)

 

Oyobi, Transcendence, Atjazz Record Company ,2021 (songwriter/producer/mixer)

Translations EP, Oyobi, Imagenes Records, 2019 (songwriter/producer/mixer)

Vincent Sebastian, Satori EP, Imagenes Records, 2017 (songwriter/producer/mixer)

Vincent Sebastian, Tonights the Night, Prison Records, 2015 (songwriter/producer/mixer)

Tribalismo, Muevelo, Vamos Records, 2014 (songwriter/producer)

 

Roots Percussion Group EP, 2016 (songwriter/producer)

 

Watussi, Tequila, Sangre, Fuego, Album, 2007 (songwriter/percussionist)

 

Watussi, 1000% handsome, EP, 2011, (songwriter/percussionist)

 

Watussi, El Olvido, Album, 2011, (songwriter/percussionist)

 

Watussi & Jon Cleary (New Orleans), EP, 2014 (songwriter, percussionist)

 

Watussi, Tu Te Vas, EP, 2011, (songwriter, percussionist)

Merenia Gilles, Libertine, 2008, (songwriter, vocalist)

Andy Bull, Self titled EP, 2008 (percussionist)

 

All Good Funk Alliance, Avance, Super HiFi Recordings, 2010, (songwriter, vocals)

Omegaman, A bailar, Fort Knox Recordings, 2014 (songwriter, vocals)

The Posse, Bionic Moses, Ken Oath Records, 2017 (percussionist) 

LOCAL PERFORMANCES

New Beginnings Festival, Oyobi, 2018

Google Festival, Supreme Drum Group, 2019

Sydney Opera House, Latin block Party with Los Van Van (Cuba), 2010

Sydney Opera House, Vivid Festival curated by Brian Eno, Watussi, 2009

Blues Festival, Watussi, 2012, 2014, 2015

Woodford Festival, Watussi, 2011

Womadelaide, Watussi, 2008 

Vivid Festival, Watussi, 2015

Earth, Wind and Fire Concert, support, Watussi, 2014,

Santana Australia Tour, support, Watussi, 2011

Ricky Martin, Acer Arena, Percussionist, 2015

Sean Kuti and Egypt 80, support, Watussi, Metro Theater, 2012

Manu Chao, support, w/ Oscar Jimenez, Enmore Theater, 2013

Oxford Arts Factory, The Posse, 2017

Sydney Festival, Watussi, 2007, 2012

Sydney Festival, Reyes de la Onda, 2010

Sydney Festival, Tribalismo, 2012

Peats Ridge Festival, Watussi, 2011

Sydney Festival, The Speigel Tent, Watussi, 2008

Caloundra Music Festival, Watussi, 2011, 2015

Venue 505, Tina Harrod, Percussionist, 2016

SHE NYE w/ Ron Caroll,  2012

SHE NYE w/ Sandy Rivera,  2013

 

INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES

 

Rainforest festival (Malaysia): Watussi, 2010

Bogota Festival De Teatro, Colombia: Watussi, 2010

Ulsan Festival, Korea: Watussi, 2008

Osaka Kokolo Festival, Japan: Watussi, 2009

Ku De Ta, Bali Indonesia, Groove Academy, 2015, 2016

Botanic gardens, Medellin, Colombia, Watussi, 2010

Bar Anonimo, Bogota, Colombia, 2010

Bar Comedia, Bogota, Colombia, 2010

Carpa Cabaret, Bogota, Colombia, 2010

La Casa, Sao Paulo Brazil, Tikki Tembo, Vincent Sebastian (percussionist) La bodega, Lima, Peru, 2010

 

TELEVISION APPEARENCES 

 

ABC, Sideshow, Watussi, 2011

Katie Perry, X-Factor, Channel 7, Vincent Sebastian (percussionist), 2016

Kerri-anne show, w/ Oscar Jimenez, 2012 

EBS Space TV, Watussi, Korea, 2010 

KBS TV, Watussi, Korea, 2010

 

VIDEOCLIPS

 

Secalo, Watussi, 2015

Echale Fuego, Watussi, 2008,

 

Tu Te Vas, Watussi, 2011

 

AWARDS

 

Research Program Scholarship, University of Newcastle,  2017

 

University Medal for Outstanding Achievement, Bachelor of Music and Sound Design (First Class Honours) University of Technology, Sydney, 2016

Aria Nomination: Best World Music Album, Tequila, Sangre, Fuego: Watussi, 2008

RADIO APPEARENCES

 

Bare Necessities show, FBI Radio, March, Vincent Sebastian, 2017

Roots and All, Triple JJJ, Guest Host, 2012

ABC Radio National, Live Performance, Latin Block Party, 2010

Cocolo FM, Japan, Watussi, 2009

Ritmo, 2SER, Radio Presenter, 2010-2014.

Cubanismo, Eastside Fm, Radio Presenter, 2014-2016.

TEACHING/ WORKSHOPS

'Junkyard': Kids Percussion Creation Workshops, Casula Powerhouse, 2017

Afro-Percussion Workshops, Campbelltown Performing Arts High School Years 9-11, Aug/Nov 2016                                                             

 

Rhythm Workshops, Afro-Latino Festival, Casula Powerhouse, March 2016

 

Corporate Percussion Workshop, Commonwealth Bank, Hunter Valley 2014

 

Ancient Rhythms Percussion Workshops, Dance Central,Chippendale, 2011-2014

 

Percussion Workshops, Bellingen Music Festival, Bellingen, 2012

 

Kids Drumming Workshop, Children’s Deaf Society, Gladesville, 2011

 

Percussion Workshops, Rainforest Music Festival, Kuching, Malaysia, 2010

 

Percussion Workshop, Disadvantaged Schools Initiative, Blacktown High School 2010, 2011

 

Music and Drum Workshops, Glebe Town Hall, Glebe, 2009-2011

 

Afro-Cuban Music Workshop, North Sydney Community Center, North Sydney, Term 4, 2009

 

Team Building Music Workshop, Westpac, Sydney, 2004, 2005, 2007

 

Resident Music Advisor, Oxfam Youth Ambassador Conference, Parramatta, 2006

HOSTED EVENTS

Nuyorica, Venue 505, 2015-2016

Afro Experiments, Monthly Events, The Dock, Redfern & Tatler Darlinghurst, 2017

Tatlers Latin Jams, 2005-2010, Tatlers Darlinghurst

Club Havana, Lansdowne Hotel, 2000-2005

House of Horrors, Oxford Circus, 2016

Roots of the Favela, Camelot lounge, 2016

Tribalismo, Argyle, 2013-2015

Chicana, Tonic Lounge, 2013

Roots of the Barrio, venue 505, 2015

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