Last revised: 2/16/08

Introduction

According to interviews given in 2004, Stanley Beckford never saw a great difference between mento and reggae. For the first part of his career, spanning the 1970 through the 1990s, he recorded mento-infused reggae. Stanley then greeted the new millennium by leaving reggae recording behind to record mento. It is interesting to note that while some mento performers went on to reggae (such as Lord Tanamo, Count Lasher and Count Sticky), Stanley Beckford is the only reggae performer to move to mento.

Stanley was born February 17, 1942 in the parish of Portland. He was orphaned as a child and wound up living in Kingston. Taking a path that other Jamaican recording artists followed, he began singing in church, and then gained prominence by winning on the Vere Johns radio talent competition. Stanley recorded reggae as Stanley & The Turbines and in The Starlites. Although clearly reggae, his music had a tinge of mento, displaying a country sound, especially due to Stanley's mento style vocals. (He sounded like the great mento singer Harold Richardson.) When the mento influence was stronger, his recordings could best be described as "mento-reggae".

Before moving to mento, Stanley Beckford released several reggae albums and numerous singles from the early 1970s to the late 1980s, enjoying hits such as "Soldering" and winning Festival three times. In addition to original compositions, Stanley recorded reggae covers of a number of mento songs, such as "Balm Yard", "Big Bamboo", "Banana", "Sweet Jamaica" (with new lyrics), "Dip Dem", "Samfie Man", "Maintenance and Chi Chi Bud", "China Man From Montego Bay" and others mentioned below.

 

Reggae LPs and CDs Jamaican music fan Olivier Albot of France has provided two discographies of Stanley Beckford's reggae recordings. Fist is the one for LPs and CDs:   STANLEY AND THE TURBYNES:  Leaves Mi Kisiloo Dynamic 1978  Big Bamboo G. G. 1981  Big Bamboo (re-release) Jamaican Gold 1992  Brown Gal Hope Road / Tuff Gong ?  Africa (CD re-release of 1978 LP) Lagoon 1995  Wanted Man  Joe Gibbs 2000   THE STARLIGHTS:  Soldering (1974-1978)  Heartbeat 1993   STANLEY BECKFORD:  Gipsy Woman  G. G. 1979

Above, on the Tuff Gong label, is the Stanley and The Turbynes CD, "Brown Gal", produced by Barrington Jeffrey. This CD is recommended as an excellent example of reggae-mento. Piano is a dominant instrument, harkening back to mento's pre-electric sound. The rhythm is bouncy reggae, influenced by mento's proto-reggae beat that came before. Stanley's rural voice, as well as the lyrics add to the country feel. The back cover reveals that instrumentation is provided by Sly and Robbie and familiar cohorts such as Tommy McCook.

There are many fine songs, and no bad ones: "Brown Gal" stands out, as does "Dada Beg Your Pardon" and the original version of "Broom Weed". Better mento reggae would be hard to find. "In My Prime" and "Leave My Kisiloo" are fun.

As far as mento covers go, "Leave My Kisiloo" is an adoption of the Count Lasher song released on Chin's , "Don't Fool Roun Me Gal", also known as "Mo Bay China Man". Another track, "Dumplings", I believe, is a Jamaican folk song. The mento-reggae track "Bredda Ram Puss" is a different song from mento song "Miss A Ram Goat".

"Africa" features an African music introduction, in which Stanley's singing lays bare the strong connection between African vocal traditions and the mento vocals of rural Jamaica. "A Little of Your Love" finds Stanley performing a soul song.

Above, on the Jamaica Gold label is the 1992 CD re-release of the 1981 "Big Bamboo" LP by Stanley and The Turbynes , produced by Alvin Ranglin.

This set is not nearly as strong as "Brown Gal". It is not distinctly mento-reggae. Many tracks have a calypso influence, resulting in a less interesting compromise between reggae, calypso and mento. This CD can be found very inexpensively. It features liner notes that put Stanley into context with calypso and mento. Boo Richards on drums, Lloyd Parks on bass, Willie Lindo, BoPe and Andy Bassford on guitar, Winston Wright on keys, Dave Madden, Dean Fraser and Glen DaCosta on horns, Ruddy Thomas on percussion, Barbara Jones and The Tamlins on backing vocals.

As far as mento covers go, there is the Harold Richardson and The Ticklers' "Healing In The Balm Yard" (written by E. F. Williams ), "Calypso On The Island" is adapted from the old mento "Banana", and "Carnival" is adapted from "Sweet Jamaica" by Lord Lebby.

There is also a UK release of this CD on Charly Records with a different cover, as seen below, left. A Jamaican LP release of Big Bamboo on GG Records can be seen below, right.

Here is the 1993 CD collection on the Heartbeat label, "Soldering" by The Starlites featuring Stanley Beckford.

This is a good collection of Stanley's singles, with liner notes that trace the success of his first single, "Wanted Man", the mixed success of his next six, and the monster hit "Soldering" that followed.

This collection is clearly not mento-reggae, but reggae proper, replete with 12" disco mixes and guest DJs. But as is almost always the case with Stanley's recordings, there is a rural feel. Two tracks lean towards calypso rhythms.

"Dip Them Jah Jah Dip Them" is a cover of the old folk/mento "Dip Dem". Other mento covers on this CD are less obvious from the song listing. "Don't Call Daddy (Chiney Baby)" is neither Derrick Morgan's ska song "Don't Call Me Daddy", nor is it "Chinese Baby" by The Hiltonaires. It's actually "Maintenance" with some additional lyrics first. "Boderation (Some A Weh A Bawl)" contains "Chi Chi Bud Oh".

The 1979 LP "Gipsy Woman" by Stanley Beckford (Starlight) on the GG Records label, produced by Alvin Ranglin. The Revolutionaries (Sly and Robbie, Tommy McCook, and others) provide the instrumentation which is primarily reggae more than mento-reggae. One track, "You Mother Never Know", has a calypso influence. 

There are two songs from the mento repertoire. "Back To Back" is one. "Chinese Baby" is a version of "Maintenance", not The Hiltonaires song of the same name. There are also a couple of songs that Stanley recorded on other releases, such as "Soldering". These are different versions.

Reggae Singles Below is Olivier Albot's discography of Stanley Beckford's reggae recordings on 45 RPM singles. Along the right and bottom are some random samples of Stanley's many singles. THE STARLITES:  You Are A Wanted Man / Back To Dubwise  G .G .Records 1973  Sugar Plum / Version (Bellfield)  Volcano 1973  How You Gonna Get Control / Version  G .G Records 1973  Donkey Man / Dub Part Two  G .G Records 1973  All Day Working  G .G 1973  Slave  G .G 1973  Ja Ja Gone To Prepare  G .G 1973  Mr Softhand  G .G 1973  Hold My Hand /Hold My Hand ( Pt.2)  Volcano  1974  Mama Dee / Mama Dee (Pt.2)  G.G Records 1974  Soldering / Part Two  G.G Records 1975  Balm Yard / Balm Yard Skank  Hot Rod 1975  Healing In The Barnyard / Version  ? 1975  Healing   ( RUDY'S) 1975  Him Pon Top / Version  Tanya 1975  Some A Weh A Bawl / Part .2 Dubwise  G .G Records 1975  Dip Them Jah Jah Dip Them / Jah Jah Dub  G.G Records 1976  Faithful Wife / Dub Wise  G .G' S Records Hit 1976  Born Again Rasta / Part Two Dub  G .G Records 1976  Samfie Man (Nov 1976)  G .G ' S Records 1977  Hold Them Natty Dread / Part 2 Dub  G.G ' S Records ?  Mr Walker  JAMA ?  Shame On You  STARLITE ?  When I Come Home  FEDERAL ?  Kingston Girl  BLACK & WHitE ?  Dragon Dance  (G.G ' S) ? STANLEY AND THE TURBYNES:  Weeping Slave / Bellinda  Barry's Hide Out 1976  Little Of Your Love / Disco Serenade  Dr. Komina 1977  Leave My Kisi-Loo / Dumpling  Dr. Komina 1977  Family Court / Family Court Dub   (G.G ' S) 1977  Your Mother Never Know (1977)  (G.G ' S)  ?  Chiney Baby (1977)  (G.G ' S)  ?  John's Lane Rock (1977)  (G.G ' S)  ?  Oh Jah Jah (1977-1978 ?)  (G.G ' S)  ?  Queen A Sheba (March 1978)  (G.G ' S)  ?  Big Bamboo (1978)