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Jazzie B

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For the bhangra musician, see Jazzy B.

Jazzie B
OBE
Jazzie B with Soul II Soul in Brockwell Park
Born
Trevor Beresford Romeo

(1963-01-26) 26 January 1963 (age 61)
Hornsey, London, England, UK
Other namesThe Funki Dred
Occupations
Musical career
Websitejazzieb.co.uk

Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE (born 26 January 1963),[1] better known as Jazzie B, is a British DJ and music producer. He is the founder of music collective Soul II Soul.

Life and career

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Jazzie was born in London UK to parents of Antiguan descent[2] in Hornsey, London, the ninth of 10 children, several of whom began running sound systems in the 1960s and 1970s. At the age of 18, Jazzie was working for cockney pop skiffle legend Tommy Steele, as a tape operator. He had his first gig in 1977 working with friends under the Rastafari name Jah Rico. He changed their working name to Soul II Soul in 1982. Soul II Soul was originally an umbrella name for several of his projects - the sound system, a clothing line and Camden record shop, a record imprint, as well as the group itself.[3]

From 1985 to 1989, Jazzie and Soul II Soul would hold what would be regarded as a legendary night at the Africa Centre in Covent Garden. The Soul II Soul track "Fairplay" was recorded there just before the group started to find wider success.[3] The nights at the Africa Centre would be celebrated in the 2003 compilation "Soul II Soul At The Africa Centre".

In March 1991, he launched the label Funki Dreds and signed the singers Lady Levi and Kofi to the label.[4][5]

At this time, he would also host a show on then pirate radio station Kiss FM, which would continue through its legal licence and until 1997. From 2009 to 2012, Jazzie B hosted the "Back 2 Life" radio show on BBC London 94.9,[6] which he then brought to Mi-Soul since 2014.[7]

Jazzie has produced and remixed tracks for the likes of Incognito, Maxi Priest, James Brown, Kym Mazelle, Cheryl Lynn, Teena Marie, Johnny Gill, Ziggy Marley, Nas, Destiny's Child, and his wife Efua Baker.[8][9]

He is a founding director of the Featured Artists Coalition.[10]

Honours

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In 2002, he was listed first in the Business category of the "100 Great Black Britons" list.[11]

He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Elizabeth II in the 2008 New Year Honours.[12][13]

In May 2008, he was awarded the first Inspiration award at the Ivor Novello Awards, for being "a pioneer" and "the man who gave black British music a soul of its own".[14]

On 7 February 2024, at the 26th annual Mobo Awards, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award after more than 40 years in the music business. On accepting the award, he cited those who went before from the Windrush generation.[15]

Discography

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See also: Soul II Soul discography

Compilation albums

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Personal life

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He is married to recording artist and fitness expert Efua Baker, and they are parents to two children, Mahlon Romeo who plays professional football for Cardiff City,[16] and actress Jessye Romeo.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Jazzie B. | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  2. ^ Davina Hamilton (18 June 2016). "Jazzie B: Back II His Roots". The Voice. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Jazzie B Interview - DJHistory.com". Djhistory.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  4. ^ Sutcliffe, Phil (5 March 1991). "Stories". Q Magazine. 55: 12.
  5. ^ Griffin, Gil (27 September 1991). "Rapping not only about opposite sex". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  6. ^ "BBC London - Jazzie B". BBC. 8 June 2009.
  7. ^ "Jazzie B Returns To Mi-Soul". Mi-soul.com. 1 September 2014.
  8. ^ Jeff Mao (16 January 2012). "Jazzie B - Red Bull Music Academy". RBMA.
  9. ^ Yousif Nur (14 October 2015). "Keep On Moving: Jazzie B Of Soul II Soul Interviewed - The Quietus". TheQuietus.
  10. ^ Ian Youngs (12 March 2009). "Music stars call for more power". BBC News.
  11. ^ "Jazzy B - 100 Great Black Britons", 100greatblackbritons.com Archived October 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ "New Years Honours". BBC News. 29 December 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  13. ^ Bernadette McNulty (5 June 2008). "Jazzie B: The day I became Jazzie OBE". The Telegraph.
  14. ^ "Ivor Novello Awards 2008". Metro. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  15. ^ "Jazzie B hails the acts putting UK music on the global map at Mobos". The Irish Times. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  16. ^ Ellis, Adam (29 March 2016). "Millwall's Romeo plays to football's tune". Theleaguepaper.com.
  17. ^ "OBE for DJ and producer Jazzie B". BBC. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
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