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From the reference
Roots Knotty Roots, we know that throughout the 1970s, Naaman Lee released
a string of at least eight self produced singles on a variety of labels,
including, St.Thomas, Mascot, Prince of Peace and Randy's. Sometimes, he recorded
under his name, other times as The Old Timers or as
The Harmonizer.
Naaman's tracks ran
the gamut from rustic quadrille to mento-reggae
to pure reggae. As these labels
sometimes include the text, "Lee Prod.", these releases are sometimes
mistakenly thought to be Lee Perry productions.
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The 1978 Naaman Lee single, "English Woman",
on the St. Thomas label. This track is reminiscent of
Stanley Beckford's mento-influenced reggae, though with the inclusion of
banjo, it's a bit more on the mento side than Stanley's reggae is. "Mento In
Dub" is the version on the B-side.
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"Roll The Music" and "Version"
by Naaman Lee, on the Mascot label from 1976.
Complete with banjo, this track is mento
reggae with a touch of calypso. It's a medley of familiar mentos:
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"Natta Bay Road", "Dog War A Matches Lane",
"Wheel and Turn Me" (with new lyrics about Festival), "Natta Bay Road".
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Another rustic Old Timers quadrille from 1972: on Randy's
"First Figure" backed with "Second Figure".
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Two rustic instrumental mentos by the Old Timers on the Mascot
label from 1973:
Jamaica Mento No. 1
backed with
Jamaica Minto [sic] No. 2 |
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Again on Mascot is the 1973 Naaman Lee single, "Wedding Day", which I
have not heard.
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From the collection
of Kenichiro Takeda of Japan, on the Music Box
label is "Quadrille Mento 1-3 Instrumental" by
The Harmonizer, another traditional mento quadrille by Naaman Lee,
that spans both sides of this single. |
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From 1976, on the Music
Map
label is "World Answer" backed with "Version" by
Naaman Lee. This is a reggae track but for Naaman's soft, pleasing
country vocal delivery. |
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On the Federal
label, from 1976 is "Simmer Down" backed with Instrumental
Fashion" by
Naaman Lee. (It's not The Wailers track of
the same name.) Not pure reggae, but this time, rather than mento, it leans
heavily to calypso, with a calypso rhythm played on electric guitar, bass and
steel drums. |
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On the St.
Thomas
label is
"Teenage People" from 1979. This track was reggae
rather than mento-reggae. |
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Also reggae rather than mento-reggae are two other
Naaman Lee
singles I've heard, both on the
Mascot label: "Freedom", from
1974, and
"Understanding" (year unknown).
Here is "Understanding", and hey!, there's Naaman
on the label. |
I have also heard
a Naaman Lee
produced single with a scratched out title and artist on
Mascott from 1976. This track would be considered straight
reggae, if not for the electric banjo and country-voice vocals.
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Finally, an obscure Naaman Lee
production from 1975: On the N. L.
Overseas
label is
"Rasta Kingdom" backed with "Version"
by The Esteems. I have not heard this track. |
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