{{Short description|Musical artist (1960–2014)}} {{Multiple issues| {{More citations needed|date=February 2014}} {{Disputed|date=May 2026}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}} {{Use British English|date=March 2019}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Philip Smart | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date|1960|04|09|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Kingston, Jamaica]] | death_date = {{death date and age|2014|02|25|1960|04|09|df=y}} | death_place = [[Port Washington, New York]], US | genre = [[Reggae]], [[Dub music|dub]], [[dancehall]] | occupation = [[Sound engineer]], [[record producer]] }}
'''Philip Smart''' (9 April 1960 – 25 February 2014) was a [[Jamaica]]n music [[record producer|producer]] based in [[New York City]].<ref name="ref 1">{{cite web|title=Philip Smart Bio|url=http://freeportstudio.wix.com/index/bio-page|work=www.phillipsmart.com|accessdate=9 July 2012|archive-date=9 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109090309/http://freeportstudio.wix.com/index/bio-page|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Biography == Born in [[Kingston, Jamaica]], Smart's career spanned over five decades. While in high school, he produced his first record with reggae instrumentalist [[Augustus Pablo]] and vocalist [[Lee "Scratch" Perry]]. The transition to recording engineering came when the Augustus Pablo's album ''Java'' was being recorded. [[Errol Thompson (audio engineer)|Errol Thompson]] was the project engineer and Smart was taught how to record to [[Multitrack recording|sixteen-track tape machines]] and how to make rough mixes to two-track tapes. This was followed by working with [[King Tubby]],<ref name="Campbell"/> and then for producer [[Bunny Lee]], who gave him the nickname '''Prince Philip'''. He was in fact King Tubby's first trainee, recording and mixing such hits as "None Shall Escape" by [[Johnny Clarke]], "Jah Love" by [[Yabby U]], and most of [[Dr. Alimantado]]'s albums.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}
His HC&F Recording Studio in [[Freeport, New York|Freeport]], Long Island, was built in 1981 and opened in 1982. The first recording project was with the group [[Monyaka]], titled "Go Deh Yaka", which was an instant hit, and reached number 14 on the [[UK Singles Chart]]. Since that time, the studio had several very successful projects such as Jah Life Productions, which featured such artists as [[Sister Carol]], Scion Success, [[Barrington Levy]] and Carlton Livingston. Smart is also known for work he did with artists under labels other than his own, such as Island In the Sun Productions artist [[Horace Andy]]; Narrows Records artist Mr Easy; [[Donovan Germain]] Productions artists [[Audrey Hall]], [[Owen Gray]], Tanto Irie, and [[Johnny Osbourne]]; and Witty's Music Master Productions artists Shelly Thunder, Junior Wilson and Barrington Levy.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}
With the 1990s came digital recording and the introduction of [[Pro Tools]]' two-track computer-recording program to the studio. The first hit recorded with Pro Tools was [[Dirtsman]]'s "Hot This Year", which was released on Smart's TanYah records.<ref name="Campbell" /> He later produced "Rikers Island" by [[Cocoa Tea]] and Nardo Ranks.<ref name="Campbell" /> Later that year, [[Shaggy (musician)|Shaggy]] recorded "Mampie" with Smart;<ref name="Campbell" /> Red Fox and Screechie Dan's "Pose Off"; and "Shot Mek You Wiggle" by Junior Demus, which was later used in the film ''[[Dancehall Queen]]''. From 1993 until 1993, Shaggy recorded five albums with Smart, including ''[[Boombastic (album)|Boombastic]]'' and ''[[Hot Shot (Shaggy album)|Hot Shot]]''.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}
As dance music got bigger in 2000, multitrack Digidesign Pro Tools TDM was in demand, along with 24-track tapes. Mixes such as "Headacke", "All Out", and "Blue Drawers" were synced with 24-track tape and Pro Tools technology to achieve fatness and warmth placing emphasis on digital mixing and editing features. Smart's early Pro Tools and analog technology knowledge gave him a cutting edge in the 1990s, which provided reggae artists with the ability to record Jamaican-quality sound in New York.<ref name="ref 1"/>
== Death == Smart died on 25 February 2014, aged 53, in [[Port Washington, New York]], from [[pancreatic cancer]].<ref name="Campbell">Campbell, Howard (26 February 2014) [https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2014/02/25/us-based-reggae-producer-philip-smart-dies/ "US-based reggae producer Philip Smart dies"], ''[[Jamaica Gleaner]]''. Retrieved 26 February 2014.</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|5445266}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smart, Philip}} [[Category:Jamaican record producers]] [[Category:1960 births]] [[Category:2014 deaths]] [[Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer in New York (state)]] [[Category:Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica]] [[Category:Jamaican expatriates in the United States]]