Time for new gen
Merritone’s Monte Blake hopes for refreshing
While their legacy as one of Jamaica’s greatest sound systems is secure, Monte Blake of Merritone says it is time for a younger generation to man its legendary turntables.
In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Blake said most of the patrons at Merritone’s recent Family Reunion have been with them since the 1960s.
As his 80th birthday approaches, he is looking to pass the baton to its current selectors.
“I’m a great admirer of Spanish people, and they never go anywhere without their parents, so their culture disseminates. That’s where our head is at right now,” said Blake.
On October 23, a mural by Yanque Yip, saluting Merritone’s legacy, was unveiled at Water Lane in downtown Kingston. It bears the likeness of Blake and his older brothers, Trevor, Winston, and Tyrone who made the family sound system world famous.
Their father, Val, started Merritone in 1950 in his native Morant Bay, St Thomas. When he died, in 1956, the brothers assumed control and expanded its popularity beyond that parish.
Winston, second eldest, was for many years the face of Merritone. He died in 2016 at age 75. Tyrone died four years earlier at age 69, while Trevor, eldest of the siblings, lives in Connecticut.
Merritone was at its most popular during the 1970s when the Blakes operated Turntable Club on Red Hills Road in St Andrew. It was a hangout for well-known personalities from the corporate, political, and entertainment sectors.
Blake attended the unveiling of the mural which is part of the Kingston Creative organisation’s tribute to Jamaican culture. His daughter Monique; niece Racquel (Tyrone’s daughter); current Merritone selectors Michael Thompson, Craig Ross, Glen “Titus” Campbell, Omar Chin, and Jeremy Scott, were also at the event which revived memories for Blake.
“We used to play by Victoria Pier back in the day when you had cross-the-harbour races. It’s a lot of nostalgia,” he said.
Held annually, the Family Reunion has been a Merritone staple since the 1970s. This year’s events started on October 25 at SeaGarden Beach Resort in Montego Bay, and closed at Footprints in Kingston, three days later.
