There is a before and after Dennis Bovell in British reggae culture. Born in Barbados in 1953, he moved to South London at age twelve and dove straight into the burgeoning reggae scene. He founded the Jah Sufferer sound system, formed the band Matumbi, and soon became one of the key figures in British reggae and dub.
With Matumbi, Bovell wrote British reggae classics like “The Man In Me” and “After Tonight,” while also helping shape Lovers Rock, the smooth, romantic reggae style that emerged in London in the 70s. In 1979 he gave the genre its defining hit with his production of Janet Kay’s “Silly Games.”
But Dennis Bovell’s influence extends far beyond reggae. He became a pioneer in the crossover between post-punk and dub, producing cult classics for The Pop Group and The Slits. Alongside his long-running collaboration with Linton Kwesi Johnson, he also worked throughout the 1980s with artists such as Fela Kuti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Alpha Blondy.
Bovell plays multiple instruments, mixes, produces, and builds sonic worlds with echo and bass as the core elements. His dub technique has been refined over decades at the very forefront of the genre. With more than 40 years in the business, he continues to perform live, produce, and run his own label, Old School. Welcome to an evening of reggae history that breathes, grooves and lives.
Buy a combo ticket for Adrian Sherwood & Dennis Bovell
