Aba Shanti-I | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Joseph Smith |
Also known as | Jasmine Joe |
Born | Hackney, London, UK |
Genres | Reggae, roots reggae, dub |
Occupation(s) | DJ, sound system operator |
Labels | Falasha |
Website | falasha-recordings |
Aba Shanti-I (born Joseph Smith) is a sound system operator and dub producer from the UK. Aba and his sound system have been playing through UK and Europe for over 30 years. He has been a resident sound system at Notting Hill Carnival since 1993 and was voted the No. 1 DJ in the World by DJ Magazine in the same year. [1] [2]
Joseph Smith was born in Hackney, London, UK of Antiguan parents, who immigrated to the UK in the 1960s. [3] He was first introduced to roots reggae music by his father Alan Smith, who himself ran a sound system called Count Alan in the 1960s. [2] [3] [4]
While deejaying for the Jah Tubby's sound system, Aba Shanti-I was known as Jasmine Joe. [3] [5] In 1990, Aba took over the running of the Jah Tubby's sound system, [6] debuting at the Leicester carnival. [4] Since then, Aba Shanti-I and his sound system play regularly in the UK, with residencies at the Notting Hill Carnival since 1993, Leicester Carnival and the University of Dub. [5] [7] [8] The sound system has also played in Belgium, France, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Portugal and Spain. [2]
Aba Shanti-I has produced and recorded with his brother and the band the Shanti-Ites, releasing records on their own Falasha imprint. [5] Their first record, Tear Down Babylon was released in 1993. [5] Aba Shanti-I currently has a studio on Morning Lane, Hackney. [2]
Aba Shanti-I sound system plays music in the roots reggae and dub style. He cites, Dennis Brown, Bob Marley, Junior Delgado, Yabby You and Prince Lincoln as inspiration. [2] The original tracks are usually supplemented by reverb, delays and effects to generate his distinctive sound.
Aba Shanti-I's brother, Blood Shanti, is a drummer and vocalist, contributing to both Aba Shanti-I's recordings and live performances. [4] Aba Shanti-I also has a son who accompanies him to many of the shows. His son is a drummer in the band Six Soldiers. [2]
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