With a cool and easy tempered disposition, Othniel ‘Taddy P’ Campbell, who hails from Montego Bay is blessed with a musical gift. His early influences can be traced to the church and his alma mater, Herbert Morrison Comprehensive High School.
Taddy P’s first instrument was the trombone, which he played from 7th – 9thy grade in his high school band.
It was at age 13, that he discovered the bass guitar. His music teachers, Professor Grimes Snick Glenn and Carl Mathews, persuaded him to try out the bass instrument, right after the bass player from the school band graduated. Taddy P practiced tirelessly at home on a piece of board cut to the shape of a guitar, with fish line for strings, made by his father. Within a short space of time Taddy P attained sufficient competence to be the school bandís bassist.
Taddy P graduated High School in 1989 as an outstanding music student. He continued through with further studies in the Fundamentals of Music Theory at Royal School of Music in London, England and Sam Sharpe Teachers College in Montego Bay. Subsequently, he was a music teacher at Herbert Morrison Comprehensive, his former High School, where he taught Band Techniques, Music Theory and Conducting. It is not surprising that Taddy P became such a good bass player because he had excellent schooling. He attributes his success at mastering the
instrument to endless hours of practice and sheer hard work, honing a hard-driving, steady, well-rounded and infectious bass style.
Taddy P’s inspirations were Aston Barrett, Glenn Browne, Nathan East, Marcus Miller, Verdine White and Stanley Clark. Taddy Pís experience in Jazz, Popular and Reggae Music earned him a reputation that had several bands, both large and small, inviting him to be a part of their group. He performed in bands from 1991 through to 1996 on the North Coast in Jamaica, in hotels such as Seawind Beach Resort, Hedonism II, Wyndham Rosehall, Sandals Resorts and Swept Away Resort. These performances, set the stage, showcasing Taddy P’s talent that soon caught the eyes of various Jamaican Celebrity Entertainers / Artistes. Before long Taddy P was performing for Freddie McGregor, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Rita Marley, Tanya Stephens, Shabba
RanksYellow Man, Sanchez,Tessanne and Monifah in international arenas in Japan, Europe, Africa, the United States, Canada and various Caribbean Islands.
In 1997, the internationally known artist, Maxi Priest intrigued with Taddy P’s style, contracted him as his personal bass player and from there on their partnership continues until present. His current drive to produce music is indicative of his success as a professional bass player. Taddy P began experimenting with harmonies, melodies, rhythmic beats and booming bass lines that
have him working feverishly in studios producing new music for Maxi Priest, Big Mountain, Patra and upcoming artist Lady Love D. Wisdom. It is this kind of passion and total commitment to his craft that makes him stand apart.
With several projects on the way, Taddy P at III Kings Studio in New York is soon to deliver work that will give music lovers a real musical feast that he is sure they will find inspirational.
SOURCE: www.dancehallreggaeweseh.com
