Dennis Bovell

Dennis Bovell
Dennis Bovell (left) playing with Matumbi, Cardiff 1978
Background information
Also known as	Blackbeard
Born	1953
Origin	Saint Peter, Barbados, West Indies
Genre(s)	Dub Lover's rock Reggae
Occupation(s)	Musician Producer
Instrument(s)	Bass, guitar
Years active	since 1968
Label(s)	LKJ Records
Associated acts	Linton Kwesi Johnson Janet Kay Matumbi Bobby Kray The 4th Street Orchestra

Dennis Bovell (born 1953, Saint Peter, Barbados, West Indies) is a reggae guitarist and record producer. He was a member of the British reggae band Matumbi,^[1] and released dub-reggae records under his own name as well as the pseudonym 'Blackbeard'. ^[2]

Biography

Bovell moved with his family to South London at the age of twelve. He became immersed in Jamaican culture, particularly dub music, and set up his own Jah Sufferer sound system.^[3] Running the sound system brought trouble from the police and Bovell was imprisoned for six months on remand, but was later released on appeal.^[3] Bovell was friends at school with future rock musicians including keyboardist Nick Straker and record producer Tony Mansfield, both of whom later worked with Bovell.^[3]

Bovell also worked as an engineer at Dip Records, the precursor to the Lovers Rock label, and he was a key figure in the early days of the lovers rock genre. He is also known for attempting to fuse disco rhythms with reggae, most notably with the hit song "Silly Games" by Janet Kay.

He has produced albums by a wide variety of artists including I-Roy, The Thompson Twins, Sharon Shannon, Alpha Blondy, Bananarama, The Pop Group, Fela Kuti,^[4] The Slits,^[5] Orange Juice and Madness. He has collaborated with poet, Linton Kwesi Johnson for much of his working life.^[1]

Bovell also co-wrote and co-produced the majority of material by British reggae singer Bobby Kray.^[6]

In 1980, he wrote the score for Franco Rosso's film Babylon. Bovell has also written music for the 1983 television drama The Boy Who Won the Pools and Global Revolution (2006).^[7]

Discography

• Strictly Dub Wize (1978), Tempus - as Blackbeard
• I Wah Dub (1980), More Cut/EMI - as Blackbeard
• Dub Conference (Winston Edwards & Blackbeard At 10 Downing Street) (1980), Studio 16 - with Winston Edwards
• Brain Damage (1981), Fontana
• Audio Active (1986), Moving Target - as Dennis Bovell and the Dub Band
• Dub Dem Silly (1993), Arawak
• Tactics (1994), LKJ
• Dub of Ages (2003), LKJ
• All Over the World (2006)
• Dub Dem Silly Volume 2 (2006), Arawak - Dennis Bovell featuring Janet Kay
• Corean Jamaican Connection, Powerslave - Yoonkee meets Dennis Bovell

Compilations

• Decibel: More Cuts and Dubs 1976-1983 (2003), Pressure Sounds
• Dub Master (1993), Jamaican Gold

References

External links

• Dennis Bovell page at LKJ Records
• Dennis Bovell interview at Test Pressing