Boyd Jarvis

Boyd H. Jarvis (October 26, 1958 – February 17, 2018)^[1] was an American record producer, remixer and musician, best known for his song, co-written with Jason Smith, "The Music Got Me"; released in 1983 by Prelude Records. He has collaborated with artists such as Herbie Hancock, La Toya Jackson and Johnny Kemp.^[2]

Boyd Jarvis started his career as an intern for renowned professor of Anthropology Pearl Primus, training under Sandra Ross in theater lighting and set design. He went on to design lighting for shows in Lincoln center, Perry Street theater, and Riverside church theater.

In the early 1980s, a time in which New York City was the world's nexus of burgeoning musical movements such as underground club/post-disco, rap, hip hop and electro, Jarvis created a musical sound through the use of home made, reel to reel and hand-played sparse synthesizer and drum machine tracks, that were featured extensively as overdubs on early-mid 1980s New York WBLS FM “extended music sweeps” with DJs Timmy Regisford and later, Merlin Bobb.

In 1990, Jarvis sued Robert Clivillés and David Cole of C+C Music Factory for copyright infringement over their song "Get Dumb", which illegally (by sampling a sound recording without authorization) incorporates parts of "The Music Got Me".^[3][4]

He resided in New Jersey with his wife and continued to write, record, and produce music under his label, CFX Records.

Solo career[]

Jarvis worked as a session musician for John "Jellybean" Benitez, , Colonel Abrams, Herbie Hancock, and dance-pop acts like Club Nouveau and Pretty Poison.^[5] and as a producer and remixer he collaborated with Little Louie Vega and François Kevorkian.^[6]

Lawsuit[]

Jarvis v. A & M Records is one of the early cases involving digital sampling.^[3]

"It is hard to believe that [a re-release of "The Music Got Me"] would be successful"

— Robert Clivillés after being told that he and David Cole injured Jarvis' career by releasing "Get Dumb (Free Your Body)", ^[3]

Summary[]

"Get Dumb! (Free Your Body)" was recorded and released under names 'The Crew (featuring Freedom Williams)' and 'Seduction'. Multiple versions were released by Vendetta Records (sublabel of A&M Records).

"Get Dumb", written by Cole and Clivilles, incorporated elements of "The Music Got Me", most noticeably a distinctive keyboard riff and the bridge section composed of free your body sounds. Jarvis claimed that he has been damaged by $15 million, however he failed to demonstrate the amount of actual damages, which are measured by "[the] extent to which the market value of the copyrighted work at the time of infringement has been injured or destroyed by such infringement."^[7] Total damage was estimated at $95,872, using the data from "Get Dumb" profits.^[3]

Discography[]

Productions[]

Other selected credits[]

References[]

External links[]

• Discogs entry