Lord Tanamo

Lord Tanamo (born Joseph Abraham Gordon,[1] 2 October 1934, Kingston, Jamaica) is best known as a mento and ska performer and songwriter. He helped create the sound we now know as ska, by combining elements of calypso gleaned from Lord Kitchener, with the lilting mento rhythms of his childhood.[2] He has been based in Canada for over thirty-five years.

Career

Tanamo played the rumba box (also known as a bass lamellophone), an essential element of mento.[3][4]

In 1970, he recorded a cover of Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night In Georgia", which was a number one hit in Jamaica for seven weeks. During another trip home he recorded the album Calypso Reggae, for Bunny Lee.[5]

By 1999 a compilation album, entitled Skamento Movement, was released on the Imaj record label.[6][7][8]

In January 2008 it was stated in a Jamaican[9] newspaper that Tanamo was in a nursing home in Canada after suffering a stroke that has left him unable to speak.

References

  1. ↑ "Last FM biography".
  2. ↑ "Lord Tanamo Tops Summit Of Legendary Jamaican Performers".
  3. ↑ "Tallawah.com".
  4. ↑ "I'm in the Mood for Ska". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  5. ↑ "Lord Tanamo biography" (PDF).
  6. ↑ "Information at Allmusic".
  7. ↑ "Lord Tanamo Tops Summit Of Legendary Jamaican Performers".
  8. ↑ "Mento Music biography".
  9. ↑ Jamaicaobserver.com

External links