The Jolly Boys
The Jolly Boys are a music group from Port Antonio, Jamaica. The band was founded in 1955 and partly original front still plays the Mento, the traditional folk music of Jamaica. Their most successful period was recorded in the late 1980s and 1990s, both in the global music scene, and especially with followers of reggae.
Band History
The Jolly Boys emerged from the music group "Navy Iceland Swamp Boys". The "Navy Iceland Swamp Boys" were founded in the late 1940s or early 1950s and often played at parties of Errol Flynn. Members have included Moses Deans on banjo and guitar, Noel Lynch ( also guitar) and " Papa " Brown on rumba box. After this group disbanded in 1955, Deans and Brown founded along with Derrick "Johnny" Henry ( maracas and drums ), Martell Brown ( guitar) and David " Sonny " Martin ( also guitar) The Jolly Boys. The name is said to have been thrown by Errol Flynn in the room. In the early days of the percussionist Allan Swymmer helped out regularly and was from the 1960s to the standard instrumentation. The Jolly Boys were to be in Port Antonio to a known volume, which was reputed the best Mento Band of the community.