The Morwells
Encyclopedia
The Morwells aka Morwell Unlimited were a Jamaica
n reggae
band formed in 1973 by Maurice Wellington and Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont
. They disbanded in the early 1980s with members going on to form the Roots Radics
.
and Maurice "Blacka" Wellington, childhood friends from Kingston
's Trenchtown area. Prior to forming the band, Lamont had previously recorded with Bongo Herman
for producer Derrick Harriott
, while Wellington had worked as a record salesman and freelance producer. They initially released their recordings on their own Morwell Esquire label. The band expanded to a trio in 1974 with the addition of Louis Davis, formerly of The Versatiles
alongside Junior Byles
. David was a talented arranger and also taught Lamont to play guitar. They had a series of successful singles in the mid-1970s, and received sufficient interest in the United Kingdom
to establish a distribution deal. Their first two albums, Presenting The Morwells and its King Tubby
-mixed dub counterpart Dub Me, were issued in 1975. Wellington began working as a studio engineer and producer for Joe Gibbs
in 1976, working on the early recordings by Culture
, while Lamont joined The Revolutionaries
as rhythm guitarist, although they continued to work as The Morwells. Their new connections gave them access to much of Jamaica's musical talent of the era, and in 1977 they were joined by bassist Errol Holt
. Further albums followed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, although the group had stopped working together in 1980. Holt and Lamont continued with the Roots Radics
, the band that they had formed in 1978, while Wellington concentrated on production (including several records by his brother, the deejay
Nicodemus
) and continued to run the Morwell label, later moving to New York City
. Lamont died of prostate cancer
in December 1993, and Wellington, after returning to Jamaica in 1998, died in October 2000 from adenocarcinoma
.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
band formed in 1973 by Maurice Wellington and Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont
Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont
Eric Lamont , better known as Bingy Bunny, was a Jamaican guitarist and singer who recorded with the Roots Radics and The Morwells as well as recording solo material...
. They disbanded in the early 1980s with members going on to form the Roots Radics
Roots Radics
The Roots Radics Band was formed in 1978 by bass player Errol "Flabba" Holt and guitarist Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont. They were joined by many great musicians. As a combined force the Roots Radics became a well-respected studio and stage band, which dominated the sound in the first half of the 1980s...
.
History
The band formed in 1973 and comprised Eric "Bingy Bunny" LamontEric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont
Eric Lamont , better known as Bingy Bunny, was a Jamaican guitarist and singer who recorded with the Roots Radics and The Morwells as well as recording solo material...
and Maurice "Blacka" Wellington, childhood friends from Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
's Trenchtown area. Prior to forming the band, Lamont had previously recorded with Bongo Herman
Bongo Herman
Herman Davis , better known as Bongo Herman, is a Jamaican hand-drummer, percussionist and singer who has had a successful career stretching back to the early 1960s.-Biography:...
for producer Derrick Harriott
Derrick Harriott
Derrick Harriott is a singer and record producer. He has produced recordings by Big Youth, Chariot Riders, The Chosen Few, Dennis Brown, The Ethiopians, Keith & Tex, The Kingstonians, Rudy Mills, Scotty, Sly & Revolutionaries, and Winston McAnuff.-Biography:As a student at Excelsior High School,...
, while Wellington had worked as a record salesman and freelance producer. They initially released their recordings on their own Morwell Esquire label. The band expanded to a trio in 1974 with the addition of Louis Davis, formerly of The Versatiles
The Versatiles
The Versatiles were a Jamaican reggae group, formed in 1967 by Junior Byles, Louie Davis and Dudley Earl. 1970 Byles left the group for a successful solo career....
alongside Junior Byles
Junior Byles
Kerrie Byles is a reggae singer, born July 17, 1948 in Kingston, Jamaica.-The Versatiles:...
. David was a talented arranger and also taught Lamont to play guitar. They had a series of successful singles in the mid-1970s, and received sufficient interest in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to establish a distribution deal. Their first two albums, Presenting The Morwells and its King Tubby
King Tubby
King Tubby was a Jamaican electronics and sound engineer, known primarily for his influence on the development of dub in the 1960s and 1970s...
-mixed dub counterpart Dub Me, were issued in 1975. Wellington began working as a studio engineer and producer for Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs (record producer)
Joe Gibbs born Joel A. Gibson was a Jamaican reggae producer.-Biography:Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its...
in 1976, working on the early recordings by Culture
Culture (band)
Culture was a Jamaican roots reggae group founded in 1976. Originally they were known as the African Disciples.The members of the trio were Joseph Hill , Albert Walker and Kenneth Dayes ....
, while Lamont joined The Revolutionaries
The Revolutionaries
The Revolutionaries is a Jamaican reggae band.-Career:Set up in 1975 as the house band of the Channel One Studios owned by Joseph Hoo Kim, The Revolutionaries with Sly Dunbar on drums and Robbie Shakespeare on bass, created the new "rockers" style that would change the whole Jamaican sound The...
as rhythm guitarist, although they continued to work as The Morwells. Their new connections gave them access to much of Jamaica's musical talent of the era, and in 1977 they were joined by bassist Errol Holt
Errol Holt
Errol Holt , also known as Errol Carter and by his nickname Flabba, is a Jamaican bass guitar player who was a member of The Morwells and the Roots Radics and has played on hundreds of Jamaican albums.-Biography:...
. Further albums followed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, although the group had stopped working together in 1980. Holt and Lamont continued with the Roots Radics
Roots Radics
The Roots Radics Band was formed in 1978 by bass player Errol "Flabba" Holt and guitarist Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont. They were joined by many great musicians. As a combined force the Roots Radics became a well-respected studio and stage band, which dominated the sound in the first half of the 1980s...
, the band that they had formed in 1978, while Wellington concentrated on production (including several records by his brother, the deejay
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
Nicodemus
Nicodemus (musician)
Cecil Wellington , better known as Nicodemus, was a Jamaican reggae deejay who released a string of albums in the 1980s and 1990s.-Biography:...
) and continued to run the Morwell label, later moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Lamont died of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
in December 1993, and Wellington, after returning to Jamaica in 1998, died in October 2000 from adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma is a cancer of an epithelium that originates in glandular tissue. Epithelial tissue includes, but is not limited to, the surface layer of skin, glands and a variety of other tissue that lines the cavities and organs of the body. Epithelium can be derived embryologically from...
.
Album discography
- Presenting the Morwells (1975), Morwell Esq.
- Dub Me (1975), Morwell Esq.
- Crab Race (1977), Burning Sounds
- Cool Runnings (1979), Bushranger
- A1 Dub (1980), TrojanTrojan RecordsTrojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name Trojan comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica...
- Kingston 12 Toughie (1980), Carib Gems
- Bingy Bunny and the Morwells (1981)
- Best of the Morwells (1981), Nighthawk
- Bingy Bunny & Morwells (1982), Park Heights
- Kingston 12 Toughie (A Tribute To Bingy Bunny) (1996), RASRAS RecordsRAS Records, also known as Real Authentic Sound, is a reggae record label.-History:RAS Records was founded in 1979 by Doctor Dread. In his travels to Jamaica he created a network within the reggae artist community there. By the early to mid 1980s RAS had signed artists such as Black Uhuru, Inner...
External links
- The Morwells at Roots Archives