Dennis Alcapone
Dennis Alcapone | |
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DJ, producer |
Dennis Alcapone, born Dennis Smith, is a Jamaican
Early life
Alcapone was born in
Career
Inspired by the big sound systems that he had visited in his youth such as those run by Duke Reid, 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 Pampado, Smith teamed up with two friends, Lizzy and Samuel the First, to set up his own "El Paso" sound system in 1969.[2][3]
With Smith as DJ, the El Paso sound system caught the attention of producer Keith Hudson, who asked him to record for him, starting with "Marker Version",[2] with singles following in the form of "Spanish Amigo", "Shades Of Hudson", "Revelation Version", "Maca Version" and "The Sky's The Limit", all in 1970.[4]
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.[2] This resulted in the "Nanny Version" single, and his recordings for Dodd were collected on his debut album, Forever Version.[3]
Producer
He also began working as a producer, working with artists such as Dennis Brown, Augustus Pablo and Delroy Wilson, as well as self-productions.[3][4] He was named Best DJ by Jamaican magazine Swing in 1972.[3]
After several international tours in the first half of the 1970s, Alcapone relocated to London in 1974,
Awards
In 2018, he received the Prime Minister's Medal of Appreciation from Andrew Holness.[1]
Influence
Alcapone had his own distinct half-sung style[8] with high-pitched whoops, with his influence visible in DJ's that followed such as I-Roy and the later "sing-jays". The second-wave DJ Dillinger initially named himself after Alcapone, using the name 'Young Alcapone' before changing his name at the suggestion of Lee Perry.
Discography
- Forever Version (1971, Studio One)
- Guns Don't Argue (1971, Attack/Trojan)
- Soul To Soul DJ's Choice with Lizzy (1973, Treasure Isle/Trojan)[9]
- 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
- 21st Century Version (1997, Ariwa) – with Mad Professor
References
- ^ a b Johnson, Richard (2018) "'Clean up your act!' Archived 28 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine", Jamaica Observer, 26 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018
- ^ a b c d Interview with Aad van der Hoek in London, England, January 1995, from the sleeve notes to the King Of The Track LP (1995 reissue)
- ^ ISBN 0-87930-655-6, p. 19-21
- ^ ISBN 0-7535-0242-9.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ISBN 1-84353-329-4.
- ^ ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p. 8
- ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ Canty, Ian (4 March 2022). "Dennis Alcapone & Lizzy: Soul To Soul: D.J's Choice - album review". Retrieved 29 May 2023.
External links
- Discography at Roots Archives
- Discography at Rootsdub
- 45cat.com
- Biography at allmusic
- Dennis Alcapone: Joe Frazier on YouTube