Without a doubt, Taddy P is one of Jamaica’s finest bass player, writer and producer. With a cool and even-tempered disposition, this native son of Montego Bay is truly blessed with a musical gift.
Taddy P’s early musical influences can be traced to the Church, as he was part of the group choir which he also conducted, and to his former school Herbert Morrison Comprehensive High School.
Taddy P’s first instrument was the trombone, which he played from 7th-9th 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’s first bass guitar was a piece of board cut to the shape of a guitar, with fish line for strings.
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 bands bassist. He P graduated High School in 1989 as an outstanding music student, and 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, 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 P’s 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 and/Artists.
It was no surprise when Taddy P started to perform for Freddie McGregor, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Rita Marley, Tanya Stephens, Shabba Ranks, Yellow Man, Sanchez, and Monifah in international arenas in Japan, Europe, Africa, the United States, Canada and various Caribbean Islands.
In 1997, internationally known reggae 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 and Patra.
It is this kind of passion and total commitment to his craft that makes Taddy P stand out from the rest. And to document and share his musical experiences and versatility, he produced and released his first 12 track album “Bass Inna Yu Face”, with the title track written and performed by Crissy Love, and promoted heavily on CD Baby.
Having surprised fans with his fusion of reggae, dancehall, jazz, hip hop and salsa on this album, Taddy P is soon set to release another album which will delight and satisfy the palettes of his adoring fans. And just what can fans expect of the new album? He insists that it will be a wicked collaboration of artists and of different genres of music, similar to the magical collaborations found on any Santana’s album. One of reggae’s finest artist, Tanya Stephens is featured on this new album on the track “Heart of Stone”, and already receiving a lot of airplay.
One thing is for certain, Taddy P is always ahead of the game. Always striving to improve and develop himself not just as an artist, but as a producer and a mentor. When not on tour or in the studio producing music, he can be found in the classroom of Herbert Morrison Comprehensive High School. It is here that Taddy P teaches 50-100 children each week how to play instruments, and encourages them to develop their abilities as young, promising musicians, and giving back to the same learning institution that helped shape him into the phenomenal artist, writer and producer that he is today
