Mento comes of age - Penthouse releases CD

The Rod Dennis Mento Band ­ featured on most of the tracks on the Mento CD produced by Penthouse Records. - Contributed

AS PART of its contribution to Jamaican music, Penthouse Records has launched a compact disc (CD) of Mento music which will hit music stores some time this week. The twelve-track CD will feature members of the Rod Dennis Band.

"I think of it as my effort to preserve our musical heritage. It's not about the money or how much money it will make," explained Donovan Germaine, the producer of the CD.

The CD, entitled Original Jamaican Music is seen as an effort to keep reggae's great-grandparent alive in the hearts of music lovers and fans of Mento music. This is the second effort to package the genre, which has been on the decline since the 1950's. The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) Mento Music Volume 1 CD may be considered the first. In addition to the CDs, there have been attempts to introduce Mento into schools.

Germaine adds that it was not difficult to produce a CD of that nature. "From you have competent musicians the work to produce the CD is fairly easy," he said.

The CD was recorded and manufactured in Jamaica and there are plans to put at least one of Jamaica's contemporary singers on one of the rhythm tracks. "I plan to put Tony Rebel on one of the rhythm tracks soon," said Germaine.

Alton James of the Rod Dennis Mento Band was cautious about the release of the CD. "In a world like this you have to try everything. We have to wait and see what will happen," he said.

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