I own just two 10” 78 rpm shellac discs – One of them is Denzil Laing and The Wigglers; ‘Who To Call You Friend’ on the Kalypso record label, and the other is by Lord Tanomo and his Calypsonians; ‘Little Fist’ on the Caribou record label. I have many hundreds of Jamaican records, but only these two shellac discs. Both artefacts used to be up on the wall for decoration in a couple of old houses that I lived in, aesthetically I liked the look of them up there. Nowadays they are both consigned to the record racks, where arguably they should have been in the first place. ‘Little Fist’ surges crazily, featuring banjo that chimes like steel drums and an aggressive workout on a saxophone. Is that a saxophone or is it Sugar Belly's homemade bamboo saxophone? This Mento track is unusual because it prefaces the intensity of ska. ‘Animal Instinct’ featuring the same saxophone but a lesser intensity as ‘Little Fist’. Dadi Tuari was a Jamaican executive producer and one of the founding fathers of the Jamaican record industry, siring as he did Caribou records, which initially put out homegrown Mento on 78 rpm shellacs, and later branched into Mento, Calypso. Boogie, Shuffle, R&B; and Ska. Information below on Lord Tanamo taken off the Trojan Records website thank you to Trojan Records. Born Joseph Gordon in Kingston on October 2nd 1934, by his own account, he first came into contact with local Mento music when at a very early age he heard ‘Cecil Lawes’ playing a rumba box, a marimba-like instrument central to the sound of Mento. Later, while still only in his teens, he sang with Lawes hustling the tourists during the day in the stereotypical straw hat and torn trousers, whilst at night he performed ballads. Then, in 1956 came his big break… 1956 was a troubled time for local performers, particularly recording artists, as in May that year the Bishop of Jamaica had attempted to introduce into the Legislative Council forms of state control over various forms of literature, including what he termed ‘lewd Calypsos’. The prospect of censorship would frankly have struck at the heart of the Mento repertoire, which included such as ‘Night Food’ and ‘Night Food Recipe’, songs often singled out for attack. The debate on this matter took many forms, from the religious extremes to the complex anthropological defence of local culture as mounted by Edward Seaga. It was complex issue covering notions of respectability, which ranged from the religious to ideas of ‘fitness to govern’ and hence self-government. Growing commercial interests both in the tourist trade and the developing local recording companies were also involved, but amid the debate a practical attempt was made to highlight the virtues of local performers and their songs. Eric Coverly, husband of famed Jamaican entertainer, Louise Bennett, promoted a Calypso Band Contest as an “effort to show the world that these songs, expressive of the West Indian soul, had their appeal and need not go over the borderline of decency, to be popular”. Organised into elimination heats in Montego Bay, Savanna-la-Mer, St. Ann’s Bay and Kingston, with the final taking place in the island’s capital in June. Tanamo duly entered the Kingston heat. The contest was not without problems – many of the hotels were reluctant to let their performers appear for fear they would leave their employ and prizes were difficult to obtain although they were eventually put up by Jamaica Tobacco Co. (a ‘Calypso Cigar Challenge Cup’), Jamaica Times Ltd. (individual cups for band members), and Stanley Motta (Kodak cameras). The entrants were, in the end, a roll call of Mento/Calypso artists and bands. In the Kingston heat, Count Lasher, Lord Tanamo (reported as Lord Tallahwah!), Sir Horace and Chin’s Radio Quintet appeared, with Lasher winning with his ‘Calypso Cha Cha’ and Tanamo placing second with a rendition of ‘Mango Tree’, which may be the same song recorded in London by Lord Kitchener. The final, on June 11th, was won by Monty Reynolds’ Silver Seas Calypso Band, second was Count Berry’s Band with vocalist Lord Lebby, and third came Count Lasher. Tanamo received an honourable mention, this time as ‘Lord Tanama’, again for ‘Mango Tree’. As winners of the Kingston heat, both Lasher and Tanamo were in a position to capitalise on this exposure. Both acquired recording deals and headlined shows at Queens Theatre, in Kingston. Tanamo started his recording career late in 1956, as so many did, with Stanley Motta’s MRS label, recording at least four titles accompanied by his Calypso Band. Released in 1957, they were featured on Radio Jamaica as part of the play-list for Motta’s sponsored programme, ‘Sweet & Swing’. Tanamo went on to record for Ken Khouri for his Kalypso label in a session that included a duet with Count Lasher, with musical accompaniment by the Jamaica Calypsonians, while later in 1957, he recorded for Dadi Tuari’s Caribou label. All of the songs cut at these sessions had been classic Mentos.

• published: 05 Apr 2020
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