Herman Davis better known as Bongo Herman, is a Jamaican hand-drummer, percussionist and singer who has had a successful career stretching back to the early 1960s.

Biography

Herman Davis was born in the 1940s, and grew up in the Trench Town area of Kingston

Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...

. He began playing in the late 1950s, and in the 1960s performed on the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour

Vere Johns

Vere Everette Johns was a Jamaican journalist, impresario, radio personality, and actor, who helped to launch the careers of many Jamaican musicians through his popular talent contests.-Biography:...

, and in Kingston's live music scene. In 1966 he performed at the visit to Jamaica of Haile Selassie. Herman's recording career began in 1969. He recorded as a duo with Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont

Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont

Eric Lamont , better known as Bingy Bunny, was a Jamaican guitarist and singer who recorded with the Roots Radics and The Morwells as well as recording solo material...

 in the early 1970s for producer

Record producer

A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

 Derrick Harriott

Derrick Harriott

Derrick Harriott is a singer and record producer. He has produced recordings by Big Youth, Chariot Riders, The Chosen Few, Dennis Brown, The Ethiopians, Keith & Tex, The Kingstonians, Rudy Mills, Scotty, Sly & Revolutionaries, and Winston McAnuff.-Biography:As a student at Excelsior High School,...

, having hits in Jamaica including "Know Fari" in 1971. He moved on to record for Harry Mudie

Harry Mudie

Harry A. Mudie is a Jamaican record producer.-Biography:Harry Mudie attended the St Jago High School. In the mid fifties, he launched his own sound system "Mudies Hi-Fi", before going to the UK to study electronics and photography.Back in Jamaica in the late 1950s, Mudie began producing, mainly...

 in the mid-1970s. In the 1970s and 1980s he was much in demand as a studio musician, recording with The Abyssinians

The Abyssinians

The Abyssinians are a Jamaican roots reggae group, famous for their close harmonies and promotion of the Rastafari movement in their lyrics.-History:...

 (including Kettle drums on "Satta Masa Gana"), Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...

, Prince Far I

Prince Far I

Prince Far I was a Jamaican reggae deejay, producer and a Rastafarian. He was known for his gruff voice and critical assessment of the Jamaican government. His track "Heavy Manners" used lyrics against measures initiated towards violent crime.-Biography:He was born Michael James Williams in...

, the Congos

The Congos

The Congos are a reggae vocal group from Jamaica active on and off from the mid-1970s until the present day. They are best known for their Heart of the Congos album, recorded with Lee "Scratch" Perry.-History:...

, Culture

Culture (band)

Culture was a Jamaican roots reggae group founded in 1976. Originally they were known as the African Disciples.The members of the trio were Joseph Hill , Albert Walker and Kenneth Dayes ....

, the Revolutionaries

The Revolutionaries

The Revolutionaries is a Jamaican reggae band.-Career:Set up in 1975 as the house band of the Channel One Studios owned by Joseph Hoo Kim, The Revolutionaries with Sly Dunbar on drums and Robbie Shakespeare on bass, created the new "rockers" style that would change the whole Jamaican sound The...

, Roots Radics

Roots Radics

The Roots Radics Band was formed in 1978 by bass player Errol "Flabba" Holt and guitarist Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont. They were joined by many great musicians. As a combined force the Roots Radics became a well-respected studio and stage band, which dominated the sound in the first half of the 1980s...

, and Mikey Dread

Mikey Dread

Michael George Campbell , better known as Mikey Dread, was a Jamaican singer, producer, and broadcaster. He was one of the most influential performers and innovators in reggae music...

. He acted as percussionist for The Itals

The Itals

The Itals are a Jamaican reggae vocal group formed in 1976 by Alvin "Keith" Porter, Ronnie Davis, and Lloyd Ricketts , all of whom had previously also recorded as solo artists. All three had worked together in the late 1960s in The Westmorelites...

 for several years.

He made an acting appearance in the 1978 film Rockers, of which he commented "Me was the first man in Jamaica to break-dance in a movie". He also features in the 2009 documentary Rock Steady the Roots of Reggae.

During the 1990s he continued to work with many of Jamaica's top stars including Beenie Man

Beenie Man

Anthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...

, Capleton

Capleton

Capleton is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist. He is also referred to as King Shango, King David, The Fireman and The Prophet. His record label is called David House Productions...

 (with whom he toured Europe in 2003/4), Sizzla

Sizzla

Sizzla Kalonji, or simply Sizzla in are de reggae musician. He is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is well-known for his above-average prolificacy...

, Lady Saw

Lady Saw

Lady Saw is a Jamaican reggae singer, known as the queen of dancehall.-Biography:...

, and U-Roy

U-Roy

U-Roy , OD, is a Jamaican musician, also known as The Originator. He is best known as a pioneer of toasting.-Biography:...

, and in the 2000s recorded with Mutabaruka

Mutabaruka

Mutabaruka is a dub poet. His name comes from the Rwandan language and translates as "one who is always victorious". He lives in Potosi District, St. James with his significant other, Yvonne, and their two childern. Mutabaruka continues to perform and write poems on every issue known to man...

 and Gyptian

Gyptian

Gyptian Born on 25 October 1983, Jamaican reggae singer. He often appears with roots reggae songs within the reggae subgenre dancehall....

. The digital era proved no barrier, with Herman stating "Once yuh is a professional musician yuh will fit inna anything, even a steel band; yuh have various type a percussion fi play, yuh jus' have fi know how to mix it inna di rhythm."

His live performances often include the playing of a chamber pot

Chamber pot

A chamber pot is a bowl-shaped container with a handle, and often a lid, kept in the bedroom under a bed or in the cabinet of a nightstand and...

 and an enamel chimney

Chimney

A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...

.

Albums

• Bongo Herman: Master Drummer (2007)
• Sound Clash of the 21st Century - Bongo Herman Meets Downbeat & Caveman Sounds

Singles

• "Doctor Who
  Doctor Who
  Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
  
  " (1969), Explosion - Bongo Herman & Les Chen
• "Know Fari" (1971) - Bongo Herman and Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont
  Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont
  Eric Lamont , better known as Bingy Bunny, was a Jamaican guitarist and singer who recorded with the Roots Radics and The Morwells as well as recording solo material...
  
  
• "Orthodox Rock" (1974), Cactus
• "Let Them Try" (1975), Impact
• "Chairman of the Board" (1984), Harry J
• "Liquidator" (1984), Harry J
• "Great Stone", Ire Hi-Fi
• "Heat of the Battle", Massive B
• "Satta Don", Clinch
• "Wisdom", Clinch

External links

• Bongo Herman at Roots Archives