Mento LP: The Falconaires - Falcondip Souvenir Album 1960

The Falconaires - Falcondip Souvenir Album.

 RCA Records from about 1960. 

This excellent mento record was a surprise aquisition along with a large joblot of reggae 12s. Despite the packaging which promotes only the hotel - the sleeve doesn't show the band or even mention their name (that's on the label at least) - this is quality rural mento music.

14 tracks of mainly traditional folk songs together with some original compositions. Includes classics like Penny Reel, Calabash, Hill & Gully Rider, John Tom...

This relatively small (53 rooms) Ocho Rios hotel opened in 1958 but was re-named in the mid-60s as the Island Inn.

www.mentomusic.com review...

''Many of the releases from mento's golden-age were targeted to tourists. This continued into the 1960s, with most (but not all) mento LP releases having strong tie-ins with the hotel where the band performed. Not only did the jackets celebrate the hotel (often to a greater degree than the band), but judging by the large number of surviving autographed LPs from this decade, the LP was sold at the hotel as well. This practice continues as today's mento bands performing at hotels typically have a CDR for sale.

These hotel LPs span the rural, jazz and folk styles''.

''A very good middle period hotel LP.  

Rural lineup, albeit with an electric rhythm guitar, including some real good banjo playing, ukulele banjo and fine vocals with more and one lead singer and some high pitched wordless throat singing and mouth trumpet that accents a few songs''.

 

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