Pimento and Hot Pepper: The Mento Story

In Jamaica, before ska, reggae and dancehall there was mento. This is a history of Jamaica's first commercially popular music which emerged in the 19th century and peaked with the worldwide popularity of Trinidadian Calypso. Stylistically unique, mento is the original sound of Jamaica. The film includes rarely seen vintage footage from the 1950's and 1960's, interviews from leading authorities on mento, and performances by more contemporary bands that have kept the spirit of mento alive.