Dennis Alcapone
Encyclopedia
Dennis Alcapone is a reggae
DJ
and producer
.
, Coxsone Dodd
and Prince Buster
, and particularly King Tubby
's Home Town Hi-Fi, which featured the DJ U-Roy
, and the Kentone sound system featuring DJ Pamapdo, Smith teamed up with two friends, Lizzy and Samuel the First, to set up his own "El Paso" sound system in 1969.
With Smith as DJ, the El Paso sound system grew in popularity and caught the attention of producer Keith Hudson
, who asked him to record for him, starting with "Marker Version", with hits soon following in the form of "Spanish Amigo", "Shades Of Hudson", "Revelation Version", "Maca Version" and "The Sky's The Limit", all in 1970. Smith then moved to Coxsone Dodd
's Studio One where he decided on a change of name, 'Al Capone' being a nickname that had stuck with him since going to see a gangster movie with friends. This resulted in the "Nanny Version" single, which was another big Jamaican hit, and his recordings for Dodd were collected on his debut album, Forever Version
. Producer Duke Reid
then employed the DJ on a series of singles in 1971 and 1972 such as "Number One Station", "The Great Woggie", "Teach The Children", and "Musical Alphabet", and in the same era, Alcapone also recorded singles for Bunny Lee
including "Ripe Cherry" and "Guns Don't Argue". In the period from 1970 to 1973, Alcapone made over 100 singles and released three albums, for a range of producers including Hudson, Dodd, Reid, Bunny Lee, Lee Perry, Joe Gibbs
, Prince Buster
, Alvin Ranglin
, Prince Tony Robinson, J.J. Johnson and Phil Pratt
, often recording for several producers on the same day. Alcapone had his own distinct half-sung style with high-pitched whoops, with his influence clearly visible in DJ's that followed such as I-Roy
and the later "sing-jays". The second-wave DJ Dillinger
initially named himself after Dennis Alcapone, using the name 'Young Alcapone' before changing his name at the suggestion of Lee Perry.
He also began working as a producer, working with artists such as Dennis Brown
, Augustus Pablo
and Delroy Wilson
, as well as self-productions. He was named Best DJ by Jamaican magazine Swing in 1972. After several international tours in the first half of the 1970s, Alcapone relocated to London
, England
in 1974, and after releasing four further albums between 1974 and 1977, became less active musically, particularly after the death of his mother in 1979, although still recorded occasionally. He returned to live performance and recording in the 1988 and appeared at the WOMAD festival in 1989. He returned to Jamaica in 1990 to record again with Bunny Lee, and also made an appearance on Adrian Sherwood
's Two Bad Card album. He released an album with Mad Professor
in 1997, 21st Century Version.
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
DJ
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Career
Smith initially trained as a welder and worked for the Jamaica Public Services. Inspired by the big sound systems that he had visited in his youth such as those run by Duke ReidDuke Reid
Treasure Isle re-directs here. For the game, see Treasure Isle .Arthur "Duke" Reid, CD was a Jamaican record producer, DJ and label owner....
, Coxsone Dodd
Coxsone Dodd
Clement Seymour "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, CD was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond...
and Prince Buster
Prince Buster
Cecil Bustamente Campbell, O.D. , better known as Prince Buster, and also known by his Muslim name Muhammed Yusef Ali, is a musician from Kingston, Jamaica. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of ska and rocksteady music...
, and particularly King Tubby
King Tubby
King Tubby was a Jamaican electronics and sound engineer, known primarily for his influence on the development of dub in the 1960s and 1970s...
's Home Town Hi-Fi, which featured the DJ U-Roy
U-Roy
U-Roy , OD, is a Jamaican musician, also known as The Originator. He is best known as a pioneer of toasting.-Biography:...
, and the Kentone sound system featuring DJ Pamapdo, Smith teamed up with two friends, Lizzy and Samuel the First, to set up his own "El Paso" sound system in 1969.
With Smith as DJ, the El Paso sound system grew in popularity and caught the attention of producer Keith Hudson
Keith Hudson
Keith Hudson aka the "Dark Prince of Reggae" , was a Jamaican reggae artist and record producer.He is known for his influence on the Dub movement.- Biography :...
, who asked him to record for him, starting with "Marker Version", with hits soon following in the form of "Spanish Amigo", "Shades Of Hudson", "Revelation Version", "Maca Version" and "The Sky's The Limit", all in 1970. Smith then moved to Coxsone Dodd
Coxsone Dodd
Clement Seymour "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, CD was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond...
's Studio One where he decided on a change of name, 'Al Capone' being a nickname that had stuck with him since going to see a gangster movie with friends. This resulted in the "Nanny Version" single, which was another big Jamaican hit, and his recordings for Dodd were collected on his debut album, Forever Version
Forever Version
Forever Version is the debut album from Jamaican reggae deejay Dennis Alcapone. It was released in 1971 by Studio One, and features Alcapone toasting over some of the label's greatest hits. The album was engineered by Sylvan Morris who left large parts of the original vocal tracks in the mix, with...
. Producer Duke Reid
Duke Reid
Treasure Isle re-directs here. For the game, see Treasure Isle .Arthur "Duke" Reid, CD was a Jamaican record producer, DJ and label owner....
then employed the DJ on a series of singles in 1971 and 1972 such as "Number One Station", "The Great Woggie", "Teach The Children", and "Musical Alphabet", and in the same era, Alcapone also recorded singles for Bunny Lee
Bunny Lee
Edward O'Sullivan Lee, better known as Bunny "Striker" Lee is a prominent, prolific and successful record producer best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
including "Ripe Cherry" and "Guns Don't Argue". In the period from 1970 to 1973, Alcapone made over 100 singles and released three albums, for a range of producers including Hudson, Dodd, Reid, Bunny Lee, Lee Perry, Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs (record producer)
Joe Gibbs born Joel A. Gibson was a Jamaican reggae producer.-Biography:Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its...
, Prince Buster
Prince Buster
Cecil Bustamente Campbell, O.D. , better known as Prince Buster, and also known by his Muslim name Muhammed Yusef Ali, is a musician from Kingston, Jamaica. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of ska and rocksteady music...
, Alvin Ranglin
Alvin Ranglin
Alvin 'GG' Ranglin is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer.-Biography:Ranglin started to sing in public in his teens with an Adventist Church background. As a radio and television technician involved in the jukebox industry, he soon acquired his own sound system he named "GG"...
, Prince Tony Robinson, J.J. Johnson and Phil Pratt
Phil Pratt
Phil Pratt, born George Phillips is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer.Phil Pratt worked at Studio One for Coxsone Dodd as a box-loader during the rocksteady period when Lee Perry was operating there, before moving to the United Kingdom in the early 1960s...
, often recording for several producers on the same day. Alcapone had his own distinct half-sung style with high-pitched whoops, with his influence clearly visible in DJ's that followed such as I-Roy
I-Roy
Roy Samuel Reid better known as I-Roy was a Jamaican DJ who had a very prolific career during the 1970s.-Biography:...
and the later "sing-jays". The second-wave DJ Dillinger
Dillinger (musician)
Dillinger is a reggae artist.-Biography:As a young man growing up in Kingston, Dillinger would hang around Dennis Alcapone's El Paso sound system...
initially named himself after Dennis Alcapone, using the name 'Young Alcapone' before changing his name at the suggestion of Lee Perry.
He also began working as a producer, working with artists such as Dennis Brown
Dennis Brown
Dennis Emmanuel Brown was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers rock, a sub-genre of reggae...
, Augustus Pablo
Augustus Pablo
Horace Swaby , known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer, melodica player and keyboardist, active from the 1970s onwards. He popularized the use of the melodica in reggae music...
and Delroy Wilson
Delroy Wilson
Delroy Wilson was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer.-Biography:Wilson released his first single "Emy Lou" in 1961 for record producer, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, at the age of thirteen...
, as well as self-productions. He was named Best DJ by Jamaican magazine Swing in 1972. After several international tours in the first half of the 1970s, Alcapone relocated to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1974, and after releasing four further albums between 1974 and 1977, became less active musically, particularly after the death of his mother in 1979, although still recorded occasionally. He returned to live performance and recording in the 1988 and appeared at the WOMAD festival in 1989. He returned to Jamaica in 1990 to record again with Bunny Lee, and also made an appearance on Adrian Sherwood
Adrian Sherwood
Adrian Sherwood is an English record producer best known for his work with dub music as well as for remixing a number of popular acts such as Coldcut, Depeche Mode, The Woodentops, Primal Scream, Pop Will Eat Itself, Sinéad O'Connor, and Skinny Puppy...
's Two Bad Card album. He released an album with Mad Professor
Mad Professor
Mad Professor is a dub music producer and engineer known for his original productions and remix work. He is considered one of the leading producers of dub music’s second generation and was instrumental in transitioning dub into the digital age. He is a prolific producer, contributing to or...
in 1997, 21st Century Version.
Albums
- Forever VersionForever VersionForever Version is the debut album from Jamaican reggae deejay Dennis Alcapone. It was released in 1971 by Studio One, and features Alcapone toasting over some of the label's greatest hits. The album was engineered by Sylvan Morris who left large parts of the original vocal tracks in the mix, with...
(1971, Studio One) - Guns Don't Argue (1971, Attack/Trojan)
- Soul To Soul DJ's Choice with Lizzy (1973, Treasure Isle/Trojan)
- King Of The Track (1974, Magnet) aka Musical Liquidator
- Belch It Off (1974, Attack)
- Dread Capone (1976, Third World)
- Investigator Rock (1977, Third World) aka Peace and Love
- Six Million Dollar Man (1977, Third World) aka Universal Rockers
- My Voice Is Insured For Half A Million Dollars (1989, Trojan) (compilation)
- Babariba Skank with Lizzy (compilationCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
) aka Wake Up Jamaica - 21st Century Version (1997, Ariwa)
External links
- Discography at Roots Archives
- Discography at Rootsdub
- [ Biography at allmusic]