In the world of Jamaican jazz guitarists, there are two that undeniably stand out as stalwarts. You’ve got Jamaica’s reggae and jazz patriarch Ernest Ranglin, and then you have Robert Dubwise Browne.
With a chameleon like ability to adapt his playing to the needs of a song, Browne’s a true guitar polymath, who has tackled genres from jazz, rock, reggae to rhythm and blues.
A self-taught musician, his musical journey started at the age of nine when he was introduced to an acoustic guitar, his father, renowned bassist/producer Glen Browne brought home.
“I used to play drums first,” says Browne. “At the time, my twin brother played bass and setting up the drums everyday to play with him got to me, so I ended up playing the guitar as I wanted to sit and jam with him as opposed to setting up the drum kit,” shares the musician who says he quickly took to the string musical instrument.
For Browne, who grew up in a close-knit musical family (his uncle, producer Cleveland “Clevie” Browne was a member of the famed classic dancehall duo Steely and Clevie) guitar lessons initially never made a whole lot of sense to him, because he discovered very early on that he could simply hear a song and play it.
“I learned pretty much everything else on my own until when I was 19 and then I took guitar lessons with jazz guitarist Maurice Gordon who taught me how to practice. I knew the material and he taught me how to apply them,” he continues. “My dad and all his brothers were always around musician and producers in Jamaica so they used to setup and rehearse in the living room and that was inspiring for us as I used to watch them.”
Dubz, as he is affectionately known, has spent years playing, touring and recording with artists Damian Marley, Shaggy, Maxi Priest, Dennis Brown, Burning Spear and just wrapped up a UK performance tour promoting his third solo album “Groovy Love Thing.”
The ten-track album released under his Electrifying Grooves Records label is a sentimental one. The songs, Browne says, “circles around love situations” and includes “Love Has Found It’s Way” a song originally performed by reggae singer Dennis Brown.
“I cover songs that were originally written and performed by Jamaican artists and chose songs where the subject lines have to do with love and relationships or courtships and picked songs where the subject lines have to do with love and relationships or courtships,” he adds.
Browne’s enduring attachment is to his music. Onstage, with his signature look coupled with a musical style that fuses jazz with reggae and rock, he’s in a one-on-one dance with his Gibson SG3 guitar. It’s at London’s Maze Inn at the Back 2 Da Future Lovers Rock affair where reggae legends Ansel Collins and Dennis Bovell also performed that we caught up with the brilliant musician just after his own solo electrifying performance. There are fans – many of them, who stopped by to heap praises on the modest musician — compliments he took in stride, clearly grateful and humbled by their accolades.
For Browne, who cites Jimmy Hendrix, Lee Ritenour, and Joe Satriani as influences, his goal is a simple one.
“All I wanted to do was music. As a teenager, I had a band and we were always playing music and performing so it’s something I did which has progressed to where I am now. I want to have a successful career like a George Benson and other jazz guitarists who have consistent careers playing guitars and producing music.”
“Groovy Love Thing” is available on iTunes and http://www.robertdubwise.com/
