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Lyragon

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The Lyragon record was a subsidiary label of Polygon records, designed to appeal the many new West Indian immigrants into Britain at the time with its mixture of calypso and jazz music. The label was first issued in November 1952 and ceased in November 1954 following Polygon's link with Pye.
All records are 78rpm format, though two 10" LPs were issued during this period. The 78s had a J-700-series catalogue starting at J-700 and running to J-733.

Thanks to Bill Dean-Myatt for providing the label image.

The basis of this listing is a listing published in the 1980s by Paul Pelletier, which, while being a complete numerical listing, did not included matrix numbers, composers, or full details of the performers. With some help from the internet and the 78Cat site I am hoping to add to Paul's excellent pioneering work produce a comprehensive listing with all these details.

Please e-mail me if you have any additions or corrections to this page.

Page last updated on: July 22, 2021

Cat No Matrix No. Title Artist on Label Issue Date
J-700 PL-
PL-916
Sweet Jamaica
Romance On The "Queen Mary" (Roberts)
Lord Kitchener (acc by The Vincent Street Six) Nov. 1952
J-701 PL-917
PL-919
Tomato - calypso ( - )
Rhumboogie Anna (Rene)
Marie Bryant (with Mike McKenzie Quintet, feat. Bertie King (alto saxophone) Nov. 1952
J-702   Murder In The Market
Nora (Roberts)
Young Tiger (= George Browne)
The Four Deuces
Nov. 1952
J-703 PL-914
PL-956
Kitch Take It Easy (A. Roberts)
Redhead (A. Roberts)
Lord Kitchener (with Freddy Grant's Caribbean Rhythm) Feb. 1953
J-704   West Indies Get It Together
Sons And Daughters OF Africa
The Lion Feb. 1953
J-705 R-936
R-938
Love Walked In
Room 504
Ralph Sharon Sextet Feb. 1953
J-706   A Fine Romance
Hallelijah
Jimmy Walker Quintet Feb. 1953
J-707 PL-976
PL-
War In The East (A. Roberts)
Coronation Calypso
Lord Kitchener (with St Vincent Street Six (feat. Fitzroy Coleman, guitar & Mike McKenzie, piano)) Feb. 1953
J-708   Jazz Me Blues
Jazz Jubilee (McKenzie)
Mike McKenzie (piano) Apr. 1953
J-709 PL-989
PL-1002
Blue Basin Samba (Henderson)
Little Boy (Henderson)
Sterling Bettancourt (wizard of the ping-pong) (with Russell Henderson's Calypso Band)
Marie Bryant  (with Mike McKenzie Quintet, feat. Sam Walker (tenor saxophone)
Apr. 1953
J-710   President Eisenhower
St. Peter's Day
Lord Beginner (with The Calypso Kings) May 1953
J-711   He Like It, She Like It
Donkey City
Youg Tiger (= George Browne) (with The Calypso Sernaders)
Tony Johnson (with The Calypso Sernaders)
May 1953
J-712 PL-991

PL-992
Calypso Medley, No. 1 (intro. Ugly Woman; Nora; Brownskin Gal)
Calypso Medley, No. 1 (intro. Rum And Coca Cola; Everybody Loves Saturday Night; Anacaona)
Sterling Bettancourt (wizard of the ping-pong) (with Russell Henderson's Calypso Band)
[note: label does show both sides as being "No. 1")
May 1953
J-713   Mike's Tangena
How High The Moon
Mike McKenzie (piano) July 1953
J-714 PL-1040
PL-1041
I Cried For You (Freed)
The Piccolino (Irving Berlin)
Bruce Turner (alto saxophone) (with Mike McKenzie (piano); Joe Sampson (bass); Leslie Weeks (drums); Fitzroy Coleman (guitar);  Denis Evelyn (vibes); Sam Walker (tenor sax)) July 1953
J-715   Makin' Whoopee
Girl Of My Dreams
Jumping Sam Walker (tenor saxophone) July 1953
J-716 PL-1038
PL-
The Courting Cats (Roberts)
Wai-Ai-Ai
Lord Kitchener (acc by St. Vincent Street Six) Sep. 1953
J-717   Mistress Jacob
Alec Bedser Calypso
Lord Kitchener  (acc by St. Vincent Street Six) Sep. 1953
J-718 PL-1006
PL-
Rum And Coca Cola (Sullivan, Baron, Amsterdam)
Taxi Driver Calypso
Young Tiger (= George Browne) (with The Calypso Sernaders)
Fitzroy Coleman (guitar) (with The Calypso Sernaders)
Sep. 1953
J-719   Meddlesome Mattie
Bulldog Don't Bite Me
Timothy (with The Calypso Rhythm Kings) Sep. 1953
J-720   Carnival In Town
Too Late Kitch (A Roberts)
Lord Kitchener (acc by St. Vincent Street Six) Nov. 1953
J-721   I Wish I Were A Mango Tree
Wife And Mother
Lord Kitchener Nov. 1953
J-722   Drink O' Rum (A. Roberts)
If You're Not White, You're Black
Lord Kitchener (acc by St. Vincent Street Six) Nov. 1953
J-723   Ding-Dong Bell (A. Roberts)
My Wife Went Away With A Yankee
Lord Kitchener (acc by St. Vincent Street Six) Nov. 1953
J-724   The Lost Watch
Beater Pan
Marie Bryant
Serling Bettancourt
Jan. 1954
J-725   My Handy Man
Bacchanal
Marie Bryant
Russell Henderson's Calypso Band
Apr. 1954
J-726   Banana Woman
Creole Honey
Marie Bryant
"Shake" Keane (trumpet)
May 1954
J-727 PL-
PL-1111
Gumbo Lay Lay
Trumpet Highlife
Marie Bryant
"Shake" Keane (trumpet), (with The Highlifers)
June 1954
J-728   Sway
Ghana Special
Buddy Pipp's Highlifers July 1954
J-729 PL-1117
PL-1118
Rum And Coca Cola
Naughty Little Flies
Lily Verona (with Don Carlos (= Abe Walters) & his Band) Sep. 1954
(rec c. June 1953)
J-730   Positive Action - Highlife
Akee Blues
Buddy Pipp's Highlifers Sep. 1954
J-731 PL-1119
PL-1120
Miss Goosey
Underground Train
Lily Verona (with Don Carlos (= Abe Walters) & his Band) Sep. 1954
(rec c. June 1953)
J-732   Skikiaan
Bantu Boogie
Afro Rhythm Kings (directed by Buddy Pipp) Nov. 1954
J-733   Marabu Dance
Donaldo's Dance
Afro Rhythm Kings (directed by Buddy Pipp) Nov. 1954
  The two issues below are 10" LPs issued in March 1953.
AF-1   Cocktail Time At The Keyboard Ralph Sharon Sextet March 1953
AF-2   Stride Piano Ralph Sutton (piano) March 1953