Pimento and Hot Pepper: The Mento Story

Synopsis
Pimento and Hot Pepper is a Jamaican film by director William Monsted.
In Jamaica, before ska, reggae and dancehall there was mento. This is a history of Jamaica's first commercially viable music, which peaked with the popularity of Calypso. The film captures performances from some of the bands that have been playing for over 50 yrs, as well as interviews from leading authorities on mento.

 

Pimento and Hot Pepper - Press Review

Mento music is a fusion of African and European musical traditions that began in Jamaica in the 19th century. Although widely played throughout the island for many years, it was not until the early 1950s that the first mento recording appeared on a 78 RPM disc.