Portland has had its share of innovations; think Boston Jerk, birthplace of Jamaican Tourism and more recently Modern Mento. This latest innovation, the brainchild of Geejam Studio’s Jon Baker, is masterfully personified by the energy and musical stylings of Port Antonio’s very own Jolly Boys.

The Jolly Boys have been a mainstay of Portland’s music scene dating back to the 1950s. Since then the group has undergone numerous transitions all while maintaining its signature Mento sound. That was, however, until November 2008 when Baker and Dale ‘Dizzle’ Virgo started an experiment that has produced what many are now calling the ‘Evolution of Mento.’ More…

For those of you who haven’t already checked out our Facebook Fan Page as yet. You’re missing out. We gave away 4 tickets today and have 6 more to go. Yes 10 tickets for 10 questions. We’re at it again on Friday starting at 1pm. We’re asking one question every hour on the hour until 4 pm. We’re giving away 4 more tickets to see the Jolly Boys Live in Concert on Saturday July 3rd, 2010 @ RedBones The Blues Cafe in Kngston,Jamaica.

So if you’ve been watching the Rehab Video, and have visited a few pages on the website, you could answer those questions correctly and win!

Big up to all our fans and a special big up to all our fans that won tickets to our show and we are looking forward to seeing you at our concert. Stay tuned for more exciting news.

Now mento meets an ultra-enthusiastic Baker and there is Great Expectation of The Jolly Boys album of that name, which they will give St Andrew a live listen to at Redbones Blues Café on Saturday night before heading off on a one-month tour of the United Kingdom, the touring party consisting of three original members and a number of ‘new’ Jolly Boys.

There is a video for the lead-off song, a cover of Amy Winehouse’s Rehab, in which a short red-dress-clad young lady undulates to the music, making for a connection among generations across the divide since mento fell out of radio and sound-system favour. More

The Jolly Boys, featuring Albert Minott and their new, modern take on mento, will be in concert on Saturday July 3, at the Red Bones Blues Café in St Andrew. This one-night-only concert event and party, dubbed Geejam Nights, showcases Jamaica’s “first-time” dance music.

Geejam Nights is the official launch for the Jolly Boys and their new modern mento sound; it will be filmed for international release. The group will begin their first set at 8 pm with a performance of classic mento tunes then at 10 pm, the modern mento experience will begin. The new-look Jolly Boys will play tracks from Great Expectation, their upcoming album of unique cover versions of songs made famous by artistes including Amy Winehouse, the Clash, the Doors, and others, which will fuse old-time Jamaican style with modern beats and a fresh international vibe. More