Jamaican Mento and Calypso 78's

The Down Beat illustrations are a Jamaican release of an American R&B tune. This label was owned by Dada Tuari and was used to release home grown productions as well as licencing American product.

Caribou was another Tuari label. The two releases illustrated, by Lord Tanamo and Count Lasha respectively both date from around 1959.

The Mercury label was probably licenced from the US company of the same name. Slow Walk was a big hit for tenor saxophonist Sil Austin in the USA in 1956.

A big thanks to Paul Steward for the Down Beat and Mercury labels.

Go to Jamaican 78's Part 2.