Throwback 45s: The Morwell Esquire – Proverb
The post Throwback 45s: The Morwell Esquire – Proverb appeared first on Reggae Vibes.
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Throwback 45s: The Morwell Esquire – Proverb
ARTIST: The Morwell Esquire
TITLE: Proverb
LABEL: Morwell Esq.
YEAR: 1976
Proverb
The Morwells, sometimes credited as The Morwell Esquire or Morwell Unlimited, never quite hit the same spotlight as groups like The Mighty Diamonds or The Abyssinians. But if you spend any time digging into roots reggae, you’ll hear their footprint loud and clear. They didn’t chase hype. They built something lasting, and it’s only right we give them their due.
They formed in 1973, with Eric “Bingy Bunny” Lamont and Maurice “Blacka” Wellington at the core. A year later, Louis Davis stepped in, fresh from The Versatiles where he worked alongside Junior Byles. Davis brought serious musical weight and even showed Bingy Bunny how to handle the guitar. That chemistry paid off fast.
By the mid-’70s, they were releasing their own music on the Morwell Esquire label, fully in control of their sound. A single like Proverb, backed with its dub cut Verb, shows exactly what they were about: conscious lyrics, rich harmonies, and a deep, rolling rockers riddim that pulls you in and holds you there.
Their first album, Presenting The Morwells, dropped in 1975, alongside Dub Me, a dub set mixed by King Tubby. From there, things started to evolve. Blacka stepped into studio work with Joe Gibbs, contributing to early Culture sessions. Bingy Bunny linked up with The Revolutionaries as a rhythm guitarist. Still, they kept The Morwells alive.
By 1977, bassist Errol “Flabba” Holt joined the fold, adding even more weight to their sound. More albums followed into the late ’70s and early ’80s, though by 1980 the group had more or less gone their separate ways. But they didn’t fade out. Bingy Bunny and Flabba pushed forward with Roots Radics, one of the most influential backing bands of the era. And Blacka? He stayed behind the boards, producing and running the Morwell Esq. label.
The Morwells might not always get top billing, but their influence runs deep. And once you tune into their catalog, you’ll hear exactly why.
The post Throwback 45s: The Morwell Esquire – Proverb appeared first on Reggae Vibes.
