Dave ‘Manpear’ Martin rejoined The Jolly Boys for a recent performance at the Geejam Hotel’s Bushbar in Port Antonio.

Martin fondly recalled life in Port Antonio in the late 1950s and 60s as he told tales of Errol Flynn and how he came to join the group.

He remembers first as a youngster picking up the newspaper on William Street in Port Antonio and running so he could throw it over the veranda to Errol Flynn who owned the Titchfield hotel at that time and collect his ‘quattie’ (one penny and a half penny).

Later he would play the congas in the Kumina segment of the floorshow at the hotel where the original Jolly Boys would be playing their mento set. After the show was over The Jolly Boys would announce to all the guests that they were going to play at the Princess Club on West Street, one of the thriving bars and clubs that lined the streets at that time, encouraging any guest heading back to their cruise ships on the Boundbrook Wharf to come and see them play again.

It was while at the club in 1962 that the young congo player was invited to come and join the band. ‘Pappa’ who had been the Rhumba box player was leaving to follow a different life, and Derick ‘Johnny’ Henry who had joined in 1956 on maracas was taking over the Rhumba box position.

Martin was a great fit and went on with the band to play many local shows and a residency at the exclusive Frenchman’s Cove resort. The resort was being managed by an Englishman, Aston A Forsyth who when he left to take over Round Hill in Hanover, took his favourite Mento band with him. The Jolly Boys enjoyed two seasons at Round Hill and were immensely popular among the guests who would often follow them around just to chat and listen to their stories. Martin recalls that among the guests at Round Hill were hoteliers and entertainment spot owners the Dumphy brothers from New Hampshire who insisted that the Jolly Boys ‘come up’.

Of course they jumped at the opportunity but had to clear it with their management — Clement Lee Sang a supermarket owner in Port Antonio. Martin recalls the manager taking an ‘air taxi’ from Port Antonio to sort out business. Once cleared they were off to the USA.

The band members (Moses Deans, Dave Martin, Derrick Henry and Martell Brown) would spend time playing between Hampton Beach and New Hampshire at all the Dumphy brothers entertainment spots.

This was at a time when ‘Calypso’ as it was popularly termed in the United States was at its peak, championed by Harry Belafonte’s million selling album Harry Belafonte sings Calypso.

The Jolly Boys enjoyed two seasons in the USA before eventually returning full time to Port Antonio where Martin continued to play at the local Frenchman’s Cove and the Trident Hotel before eventually heading off as entertainment on cruise ships travelling around the Caribbean and USA. He would eventually settle in California.

During the recent gig at Geejam, the emotions were apparent as Martin took to the bandstand and played Mento with ‘The Boys’ again — this is music he had not played for nearly three decades.