- Lord Tanamo
Lord Tanamo (born Joseph Abraham Gordon [cite web|url= http://www.last.fm/music/Lord+Tanamo|title=Last FM biography] ,
2 October 1934 , Kingston,Jamaica ) is best known as amento andska performer andsongwriter . He helped create the sound we now know as ska, by combining elements of calypso gleaned fromLord Kitchener , with the lilting mento rhythms of his childhood. [cite web|url= http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2002-07-11/music_feature.php|title= Lord Tanamo Tops Summit Of Legendary Jamaican Performers]Career
Tanamo plays the rumba box (also known as a bass lamellophone), an essential element of mento. [cite web|url= http://www.tallawah.com/bookings.html|title= Tallawah.com]
He enjoyed hits as the lead vocalist for
The Skatalites , such as "I'm In The Mood For Ska", in 1965. He continued to record at least through the late 1970s, with singles andalbum s forrecord producer sCoxsone Dodd , The Pottingers andBunny Lee .In 1970, he recorded a cover of
Brook Benton ’s "Rainy Night In Georgia ", which was a number one hit in Jamaica for seven weeks. Duringanother trip home he recorded thealbum "Calypso Reggae", for Bunny Lee. [cite web|url= http://www.tallawah.com/tanamo_bio.pdf|title= Lord Tanamo biography]By 1999 a
compilation album , entitled "Skamento Movement", was released on the Imajrecord label [cite web|url= http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gxfexqekldke|title= Information at Allmusic] .Tanamo continues to record and perform live to the present day. In July 2002 in
Toronto ,Canada , a two night 'Legends of Ska'concert was held. Reuniting were Skatalites Lloyd Knibbs,Rico Rodriguez , Lloyd Brevett,Lester Sterling ,Johnny Moore andLynn Taitt ; along withPrince Buster ,Alton Ellis , Owen Gray,Lord Creator ,Justin Hinds ,Derrick Harriott , Winston Samuels,Roy Wilson ,Derrick Morgan , Patsy Todd, Doreen Shaffer Stranger Cole and Tanamo himself. [cite web|url= http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2002-07-11/music_feature.php|title= Lord Tanamo Tops Summit Of Legendary Jamaican Performers] [cite web|url= http://www.mentomusic.com/tanamo.htm|title= Mento Music biography]He has been based in Canada for over thirty-five years.
References
External links
* [http://www.mentomusic.com/tanamo.htm Lord Tanamo biography and discography at Mentomusic.com]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:w9fexqujldfe~T2 Discography at theAllmusic website ]
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