CELEBRATED Jamaican mento band, The Jolly Boys is looking to continue their performance schedule this year, following one what has been described as an impressive 2011.

The ‘Boys’ will kick off the new year in Australia.

This is the first time the group will be performing in that country, taking the stage at the Sydney Festival on Friday, January 6, at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre.

Local media has described the six-piece mento band as “stunning” with their blend of classic mento with contemporary rock and pop, including covers of popular songs.

The group’s manager, Geejam CEO Jon Baker, says the Sydney Festival is a great way for the band to start their year as 2011 the group saw a number of incredible highs.

“The Jolly Boys were the opening act for Sade during her tour last summer. This saw them performing on huge stages for thousands in some of the world’s major cities. They also did shows in Hong Kong, were featured acts at the Smirnoff Nightlife event in London, in addition to spot gigs on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Among the items on the cards for the Jolly Boys following their trip to Australia is the release of their new album, the launch of a 13-part television reality series of the band on tour, which will be shown locally, and the Jamaica 50 festival tour which culminates at the Olympics in London in July/August.

As for local performances, Baker said he has being approaching the promoters of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival for the past two years. They, however, offered the Jolly Boys the 6 pm-slot on the opening night of the festival (Thursday).

This, Baker says, is unacceptable, considering the mass audiences the band performs for. According to him, an opening performance at this festival, shows how much Mento and the international success of the Jolly Boys is not respected here at home.

“For many, mento music is should be relegated to hotel lobbies and the arrival lounges of airports. But many have yet to experience a Jolly Boys performance and their re-interpretation of contemporary rock, R&B and pop favourites, set to mento,” Baker said.

The Geejam boss notes that he does not want to be perceived as being bitter at the decision taken by local show promoters, but says he is frustrated with his efforts to have locals view, what international audiences have been experiencing for some time.

The Jolly Boys began in Portland as the resident band for screen icon Errol Flynn, at his parties on Navy Island. The group includes Joseph ‘Powda’ Bennett on maracas, Derrick ‘Johnny’ Henry on rumba box and Albert Minott on lead vocals and guitar. With new members Harold Dawkins on guitar, Lenford ‘Brutus’ Richards on banjo and Dale Virgo on precessions, the group is best known for their cover of Rehab, by the late British songstress Amy Winehouse.