Dubwise delivers most personal work
Some of Robert Browne’s most savoured memories of his mother are of her listening to soca music and heading to Turntable Club on Red Hills Road where she would dance up a storm.
The guitarist recalls those times on M O M (Memories Of Mother), his fifth album which was recently released.
It contains 10 songs, mainly instrumentals showcasing his jazzy riffs.
The lead song is Elaine Marie, which are the Christian and middle names of his mother who died in 2016.
Browne, also known as Dubwise, told the Jamaica Observer that M O M is the most personal of his solo projects.
“It’s very personal, because the songs are inspired by the passing of my mom. I’ve never had a whole project centred around my actual life situations or experience before this one,” he said.
Most of the songs on the self-produced album are originals, with Browne offering solid renditions of Eric Clapton’s Tears In Heaven alongside saxophonist Dean Fraser, and Kevin Downswell’s You Make me Stronger.
Pointing to Jimi Hendrix, Joe Satriani, Lee Ritenour, and Earl “Chinna” Smith among his musical influences, Browne is from the famous Browne family which includes father Glen (bass), as well as uncles Dalton (guitar), Noel (keyboards), Cleveland (drums), and Danny (guitar).
They — minus Noel — provided harmonies on Beautiful In June, another song from
M O M.
Browne has toured with Shaggy and played on albums and songs by Lauryn Hill, Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers, Diana King, Maxi Priest, and Dennis Brown.
Robert Dubwise: Birth, his first album, was released in 2004. Rare as they are in Jamaican music, he feels there is a place for the instrumental album.
“Anyone deciding to record and release music these days is taking a chance. I don’t think it’s any different for musicians. Yes, the market is smaller, but like any other genre with the right promotion and marketing, anything is possible,” said Browne.