By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Members of the Freedom Mento Band performing last Saturday night on the East Lawn of Devon House's, Hope Road, St. Andrew. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
WESTERN BUREAU:
MENTO, SOMETIMES a tad ribald, was met with applause and chuckles from an appreciative but restrained audience at Devon House's East Lawn, Hope Road, St. Andrew, on Saturday night.
The traditional cornmeal bellyful, 'blue drawers', became 'blue clothes' and 'cow organ soup' was reserved for another occasion as The Happy Smilers, Jolly Boys, Freedom Mento Band and Rod Dennis Mento Band played to a packed house.
With Charles Hyatt keeping the proceedings humming humorously along, including cautioning the press not to mistake the one-hour mingling time for a late start, there was nary a dull moment at the Institute of Jamaica event. Neither was there one that was not educational, as with close to 150 years experience combined, the bands went to the root of Jamaican music. Combined with the food (late festival and all) and lubrication from the spirits, it was an entertaining evening.
NOTABLE EXCEPTION
Employing roughly the same instruments, including the rhumba box, guitar, shakers and the rum-soaked voice of a lead singer, the bands were all nattily and uniformly attired from neatly pressed trousers to straw hats. A notable exception was the 'natty' red, green and gold headgear of a guitarist in the Rod Dennis Mento Band, whose shimmering blue vests were also outstanding.
The Happy Smilers were first up and tugged at mouth corners with their risqué lyrics. They started out harmlessly enough with Healing In The Balmyard. However, they quickly went below the waistline with the riotous Love In The Cemetery and the story of Elaine and Harry.
There was laughter at all the appropriate places.
The saga of a lazy man was also a rib-tickler, Rucumbuine was an uptempo jam, the ladies loved De Woman Is Smarter and there were howls for the Big Bamboo. Back To Back, Belly To Belly and Zombie Jamboree wrapped up their set.
The Jolly Boys, complete with a 'legs-dropping' lead singer who crooned in a distinctive semi-nasal voice, opened with Banana, then went into a hilarious musical tale about going to visit an old girlfriend. Watermelon preceded a song about the various dances of an era gone, of which the Jolly Boys favourite was the jerk.
There was a wistful tale of longing for the homeland, as the Jolly Boys slowed it down to intone take me back to Jamaica where I was born/where the young girls still have their charm, more humour with Salt Lane Gal and they ended with Mother and Wife.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
The Freedom Mento Band, from Glengoffe in St. Catherine, was the relatively new kid on the block on Saturday night, since it was formed in 1990. They also had the only female musician on-stage that night, the lady also doubling as the band's manager. Opening with their own 'dub plate', they did Matilda and turned on the slow jam with What Am I Living For, as members of the audience rocked and swayed.
No Want No More preceded the drawing of the gate prize in a relatively short set, which finished with All Day, All Night.
The introduction of the Rod Dennis Mento Band was met with sporadic applause and the former Red Devils lived up to expectations in what was an unfortunately shortened set. An outstanding guitar led off Nobody's Business (But My Own), the excellent lead singer sitting among the other members and playing an instrument. A bass throbbed in on Hol' Him Joe, a gentleman in a full cream outfit providing subtle accompaniment on the repeater drum.
Since I Met You Baby was a hit, prior to Count Owen stepping out of the audience to perform a ribald argument with a young lady.
'Mento in May' effectively ended with the Rod Dennis Mento Band ushering the audience from the Devon House East Lawn with the romantic Take The Ribbon From Your Hair.
