Eugene Grey

Artist Information

Biography

According to Rootz Reggae & Kulcha magazine, “Eugene Grey is yet another of the many genius guitarists of world class status that Jamaica has produced” playing professionally from the age of 14. He has traveled worldwide with artists such as Sony’s Kid Creole & the Coconuts. More recently Eugene completed his own tour in Argentina in 2008. During all of 2009 Eugene toured worldwide with Sly and Robbie as the lead guitarist. In December of 2010 Mr. Grey released his latest solo double album CD called Diversity available on itunes, CDBaby, Digstation.com, etc. and was inducted into the Bob Marley School of Music Walk of Fame. 2011 saw Eugene perform as guest artist on the Reggae Jazz Fusion at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts featuring the legendary jazz pianist Monty Alexander.

Today, Eugene is well known to older heads in the New York City area, where he migrated to in 1976 with the band he formed at the Sheraton called Jamaica Subway International. While living in NY he became formally qualified in music by graduating from the City University of New York with a degree in Music Composition. Grey attributes this experience to his unique eclectic style that combines Jazz, Reggae, and Classical music. More recently, Grey is becoming increasingly well known by more people in South Florida where he relocated from New York. He combines teaching music formerly in the Florida School system and privately with performing internationally and locally.

His official debut release Timeless (Greyphone) in 2002 was nominated for a 2003 Reggaesoca Music Award. This instrumental album of interpretations of mostly colloquial themes enjoyed extensive airplay in the US, Canada and Jamaica as well as rave reviews. Jazzreview (2002) wrote of Timeless, “Eugene Grey is an experienced and gifted jazz guitarist. The music is timeless and Grey and his band certainly embraces a laid-back lilt of tropical sunshine and emerald waters.”

In June 2004 Eugene released Shades of Grey (Greyphone) which coincided with his performance at the Suntrust Jazz Brunch at Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale. This CD was also nominated for a Reggaesoca Music Award in 2005. Beat Magazine (2004) states “Eugene Grey soars on Shades of Grey (Greyphone); the roots reggae version of a smooth-jazz album that showcases his stylized virtuoso electric guitar with soft backing vocals, chunky tracks bedded by real bass, drum and subdued keyboards.”

All of Eugene’s releases were recorded at his own studio, Tropic Isle Recording Studio, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale where he is the engineer. The studio has evolved over the last 21 years and is currently equipped with the latest software to handle live and MIDI recordings. Tropic Isle not only records Eugene’s projects but also the projects of other artists. Two songs on Ernie Ranglin’s latest release Surfin’ (Telarc), “Dance All” and “Yu Si Mi” were recorded at the studio as well as Eugene playing guitar.

Eugene has toured worldwide as lead guitarist with such artists as Grammy Award winners Burning Spear and Toots and the Maytals, as well as Culture, Fab 5, and the internationally acclaimed Kid Creole and the Coconuts. While with Kid Creole and the Coconuts they not only performed on music festivals but appeared on the likes of Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” and in the move “Lambada”. Eugene’s extraordinary talents were described best by bandleader August Darnell (Kid Creole) in their 1987 Official Tour Program. He stated, “Eugene is a gifted guitarist and much more versatile than I ever realized: he plays everything but when he plays those Haitain, Trinidadian, Afro-Cuban, Jamaican rhythms and licks, I go crazy. I love it. The man is bad.”

Other artists Eugene has performed with include Max Romeo whom he toured with for the first time in Europe, Horace Andy, Big Youth, The Harlem Renaissance Orchestra, America’s Singing Poet Steve DePass, West Africa’s Abdou M’Boup and Vieux Diop, Tony Cafresi and His Latin Orchestra, The Wailers, and The Skatalites. While with The Skatalites Mr. Grey performed with Charlie Palmieri and Arthur Blythe at New York’s club ‘Village Gate’. In 1992 Eugene performed with his group, POWER REGGAE as the opening act and backing band for Jamaica’s Gregory Issacs in Switzerland.

He has recorded on all of the albums by Kid Creole and the Coconuts including arranging the song “Haiti” on their 1994 project. Eugene’s contribution to other recordings include the album “Voice of the Rastaman” by Shanachie artist Ras Tesfa and on the 1995 album “Via Jo” by Triloka artist Vieux Diop from Senegal, West Africa. As mentioned before, he recently played on two songs of Ernest Ranglin’s 2005 release Surfin’ (Telarc).

Another aspect of Eugene’s career included performing as musician in theatre musicals. He was a member of the orchestra in the Off-Broadway play “In A Pigs Valise” in 1989; “Pecong” in 1991 at Newark Symphony Hall and the Off Broadway Classical musical “Sally and Tom” at Castillo Theatre in 1995/96. He was Musical Director for the Off-Broadway musical “Rasta” in 1995 as well as in 2004 for Irving Burgie’s musical review “Day-O” at the Stratford East in London. Eugene had years earlier arranged 42 of the original songs of his longtime employer, Irving Burgie for this Broadway Musical review. These songs were made famous by Harry Belafonte 50 years ago. His arrangements garnered extensive praise from Mr. Burgie’s label Cherry Lane Records.

Eugene released in 2007 another project called “Authentic”. This album comprises all original material with the exception of an arrangement of Bob Marley’s song Jammin’ giving rise to the name authentic. It was during this year that he traveled to Argentina on request to perform. Eugene’s show was such a success that he was invited back in 2008 to perform as well as having a compilation CD called “Our Song” released in Argentina.

Instrumentation

Karl Wright - Drums
Paul Banman - keyboards
Linford Roberts - Bass
Joe Fagan - Drums
Tasha Hall - Vocals

Discography

MAIN ARTIST

2002 - Timeless (Greyphone Records)
2004 - Shades of Grey (Greyphone Records)
2007 - Authentic (Greyphone Records)
2010 - Diversity (Greyphone Records)


MUSICIAN

1982 - Kid Creole & The Coconuts, “Tropical Gangsters”, (Warner Brothers)
1985 - Ras Tesfa & Jafrica, "The Voice of Rastaman" (Shanachie Records Corp.)
1987 - Kid Creole & The Coconuts, “I, Too, Have Seen The Woods” (Wounded Bird Records)
1990 - Safi, "Another One Gone"(Shanachie Records Corp.)
1991 - Kid Creole & The Coconuts, "You Shoulda Told Me You Were.." (Sony Music)
1995 - Carl McDonald, "African Countries"(Makdon Records)
1995 - Vieux Diop, "Via Jo"(Triloka Records)
1996 - The Castillo Theatre,“Sally and Tom (The American Way)”, Original Cast Recording
1996 - Irving Burgie, "Island in the Sun"(Angel Records)
1998 - Burning Spear, "[A]live in Concert 1997”(Burning Music)
2000 - African Voices, "African Voices" (Emm/Narada)
2002 - Dr. Paul, "89th Ave."
2002 - Paul Rae, "Extra Classic"
2003 - Jazmn, "Nothing But..."
2003 - Irving Burgie, "Father of Modern Calypso"(Valley Entertainment)
2003 - Bunny Bonnitto, "Mercy Mercy"
2004 - Marcia Ball, "Right On Time"
2005 - Ernest Ranglin, "Surfin"(Telarc)

Official Website

http://www.eugenegrey.com

Links

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• Twitter
• Last.fm
• MySpace

Audio

• No Room At The Top
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• Sky Over The Mountain
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• Reward
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• Bluezy Reggae
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• Wheel O Matilda
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• Donna Lee
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• Save Some For Me
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• Jammin'
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• Our Song
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Video

Eugene Grey Live at BankUnited Center 2007

Sunfest April 2005

Photo Gallery

Press

• Reggae Jazz Fusion for Broward Center [+ Show ]
  

  South Florida jazz and reggae fans will meet at the Broward Center May 22, 2011 to enjoy a unique b... South Florida jazz and reggae fans will meet at the Broward Center May 22, 2011 to enjoy a unique brew of musical genres at the Reggae Jazz Fusion event. Jazz piano virtuoso Monty Alexander, celebrating 50 years in music, will headline the event alongside reggae great Maxi Priest. Versatile vocalist A J Brown and jazz guitarist Eugene Grey complete the bill.
  
  Jazz Guitarist Eugene Grey with his smooth and subtle style will complete the lineup of what promises to be a true fusion of musical styles. This event promises to be an evening of musical excellence featuring some of the elite performers in their respective genres.
  

• Jamaican Guitar Legend Eugene Grey Talks about His New Album, Burning Spear and the Evolution of Reggae [+ Show ]
  

  Guitarist and composer Eugene Grey, in addition to a long-thriving solo career, has played with some...Guitarist and composer Eugene Grey, in addition to a long-thriving solo career, has played with some of the most famous bands in Jamaican history – from Toots and the Maytals to Burning Spear. Classically trained, Grey has evolved his music as his knowledge has grown, and now he is trying to the same thing for reggae. His new album, Diversity, hints at Grey’s attempt to move reggae forward in the same way Quincy Jones added sophistication to R&B and Funk. Grey talked to Caribbean Journal about the new album, his experience with Burning Spear, and his vision for the future of reggae.
  
  Talk about your new album, Diversity.
  It’s a long time coming. It’s a double-CD set, with 10 instrumental, 10 vocal tracks. Except for the song, “Reward,” most are compositions or rearrangements. “Wheel O Matilda” is a folklore song that we grew up with, and we re-harmonized it.
  
  How has your music changed over the years?
  
  As I have grown as a musician, the music has changed. Each of my CD’s is a little different – as I evolve, I try to put that evolution into a new CD. It speaks for itself, I think.
  
  What was your experience like with Burning Spear?
  
  I had a ball with Burning Spear. We were an amazing side – we had fun at sound checks, because we would take the music and then just expand it and experiment. Sometimes [Rodney] would come in and say, “What’s that? I recognize that, but really, we have a way to do this.” But then he would fall in love with it himself. And then he’d allow it. That gave the band the freedom so that we when we took the stage, we played with authority and we had fun. We would take all the 15-hour bus rides and the fatigue just for that one hour, and just have fun. It’s a high.
  
  How has Jamaican music changed? It has always been so intertwined with culture and politics.
  
  As a people, especially the colloquial mass of the Jamaican people, the only voice they had to voice their frustration was through the arts, through music. So originally, reggae had that as a part of its foundation, the people that it came from. And the music has evolved of course. It has become world-class music. Now we have dance hall, all of that. I’m a jazz player – I play jazz and classical. New forms always come out of old forms – but what I wish for dance hall is that as the years go by they will eventually get their thing a little more sophisticated, just like every other form of art, and take its place. So the music has evolved and I’m curious to see what’s going to come up next. Also, what I like is that you have other cultures who have adopted reggae, and are putting their cultural interpretation on it and that makes it so unique. I’ve spent a lot of time in South America, I go to Argentina a lot. I was beautifully surprised how the musicians revere the music and the fervor that they really embrace it with.
  
  What are you working on now?
  
  I started working on some other stuff. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag yet, but as I grew up musically, I tried to speak my language as clearly as possible. I studied classical music, and I use all the different ingredients – we have classical Jazz, poly-rhythms, polytonality and try to incorporate it back into reggae. This new album, a little bit of that is there. It’s written in different time signatures. The reason I’m doing this is that, like anything, the natural progression of the universe is the law of perpetual motion – things have to move. I spent 26 years of my early life in Jamaica, so I’m part of the earth of reggae and the evolution. Being in an international setting like America, it also gives me a different perspective so I’m using the knowledge I get here. It’s like cooking – there are different ingredients. I’m putting in all the different polyrhythms, from classical to cultures in south America and incorporating it. Because I can do it, and I think if you can you should. I’m on a path similar to what Quincy Jones did for rhythm and blues and funk. I’m using that same kind of concept and knowledge.
  
  What kind of change are you talking about?
  
  I’m using that same type of concept and knowledge [as Jones]. I want to bring Reggae music up that level – I studied European classical music, and those guys were thinkers – and they became musical scientists. I’m doing my contribution to see if we can get Reggae on that path. So maybe a few years ahead, when kids go for a degree in music they have to pass through those principles. And I’ve already helped to lay down some of those foundations, theoretically, and show that the capacity exists for those things to happen.

• Diversity [+ Show ]
  

  This is an excellent compilation of the guitar virtuosity of Eugene Grey. -- as he is certainly on ...This is an excellent compilation of the guitar virtuosity of Eugene Grey. -- as he is certainly on par with Ernest Ranglin or Lynn Taitt. Great to get a double dose, with both a vocal disc and instrumental disc.

• Diversity [+ Show ]
  

  Disc 1 shows off the instrumental side of this hard working and award winning Jamaican born guitaris...Disc 1 shows off the instrumental side of this hard working and award winning Jamaican born guitarist and composer while disc 2 has all the vocal tracks thrown in. I can’t decide which is better. They are both flavorful in their own way, highlighting inflections and nuances of the buoyant horn section and funky subtly flowing rhythms that are based in Afro-pop, reggae, jazz and jam.

• Eugene Grey en Argentina [+ Show ]
  

  This Wednesday November 21 from 23:30 pm will be presenting is by 1 time in our country one of the b...This Wednesday November 21 from 23:30 pm will be presenting is by 1 time in our country one of the best Jamaican guitarists of all time. Eugene Grey (guitarist of The Wailers, Burning Apear, Culture, Toots and The Maytals among others) visited us with Reggae Sessions Toolkit.

• Miami welcomes pop legend Dionne Warwick & Friends [+ Show ]
  

  Also, appearing on stage as opening acts are ... and Jamaica's genius guitarist, Eugene Grey. Eug...Also, appearing on stage as opening acts are ... and Jamaica's genius guitarist, Eugene Grey.
  
  Eugene takes the stage with a reservoir of high cultures joining Dionne as her pioneer opening act of support.

• Eugene Grey [+ Show ]
  

  … this is a fabulous body of work, beautifully played (and produced). ... Thanks for the music. ... … this is a fabulous body of work, beautifully played (and produced). ... Thanks for the music.

• Eugene Grey - review of Shades of Grey [+ Show ]
  

  On "Love You Too Much", the fourth track from his 2004 release "Shades Of Grey", Eugene's playing re...On "Love You Too Much", the fourth track from his 2004 release "Shades Of Grey", Eugene's playing recalls the fluidity of Charlie Christian, the creativity of Wes Montgomery, and the first-class execution of George Benson while sounding completely unique - an incredible feat given the deep talent pool of past and
  present jazz axemen. Multiple plays may be needed by the listener who is new to instrumental jazz to focus on the layering and the nuances of the arrangement to reveal its beauty from both a cerebral and emotional aspect.
  
  "Skata", from the same release, is a laid-back composition featuring his clean and shimmering tone, giving the listener the imagery of a tropical sun reflecting on clear emerald waters. The title refers to 'Ska' and may allude to 'Rock Steady', the pronounced rhythms in this tune (both actually precursors to Reggae) with Grey's voicings and arranging skills adding jazz sensibilities in a melding of not only styles, but once again of different musical eras. Like his compatriot Ernest Ranglin, Eugene Grey is one of the few musicians to blend jazz and Jamaican music successfully.
  
  High marks also to the backing musicians and the production value of these tracks. The varied instruments are mixed and performed as clean and flawless as his technique.
  

• Shades of Grey - I LOVED this CD [+ Show ]
  

  This CD of mostly jazz instrumentals contains some amazing covers of songs like "Wildflower", "Our S...This CD of mostly jazz instrumentals contains some amazing covers of songs like "Wildflower", "Our Song", and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". The songs that feature a vocalist are "My Baby Just Cares" and "Street Life" and those too are just done in such a great way...it's rare to find really enjoyable covers that aren't just exact mimics of the original song, but in this case, the Eugene Grey band manages to instill each song with its own flavor while maintaining the spirit of the original. This is just an amazing CD for the jazz lover and that's all I can say.

• Eugene Grey nominated for 2005 ReggaeSoca Award [+ Show ]
  

  Hi Class Promotions is proud to announce that Eugene Grey has been nominated for a ReggaeSoca Award ...Hi Class Promotions is proud to announce that Eugene Grey has been nominated for a ReggaeSoca Award in the instrumental album category for his 2004 release "Shades of Grey". The black tie award show will be held Saturday November 5, 2005 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

• SunFest: A look at the local acts [+ Show ]
  

  EUGENE GREY — 2:15 p.m., Washington Mutual Stage. This Jamaican guitarist's credentials include appe...EUGENE GREY — 2:15 p.m., Washington Mutual Stage. This Jamaican guitarist's credentials include appearing on every album by danceable international ska band Kid Creole & the Coconuts, plus touring with reggae acts Toots & the Maytalls and Burning Spear. Now mixing touring with a house gig in Sunrise, he'll perform pieces from his latest CD, Shades of Grey.
  
  

• Eugene Grey soars on Shades of Grey [+ Show ]
  

  Eugene Grey soars on Shades of Grey (Greyphone), the roots reggae version of a smooth-jazz album tha...Eugene Grey soars on Shades of Grey (Greyphone), the roots reggae version of a smooth-jazz album that showcases his stylized virtuoso electric guitar with soft backing vocals, chunky tracks bedded by real bass, drum and subdued keyboards. If you like players like Peter White, Larry Carlton or Lee Ritenour you'll be pleasantly surprised by the technical dexterity of Eugene Grey working on unquestionable reggae rhythms but playing with the feel of modern jazz at its best. He's not afraid to step out of the mold (as on the intro to "Our Song" where sophisticated jazz voicings drop into a stepped-up rhythm). Recognizable names are in the mix, including percussionist Larry McDonald, and cool solos abound. Two bonus tracks give backing vocalist Tasha a chance to show what she can do out front, my favorite being a nice romp through pop standard "My Baby Just Cares For Me".

• Eugene Grey nominated for 2003 ReggaeSoca Award [+ Show ]
  

  The Tenth Annual Reggaesoca Music Awards is pleased to announce that Eugene Grey has been nominated ...The Tenth Annual Reggaesoca Music Awards is pleased to announce that Eugene Grey has been nominated in the Instrumental Album category for his 2002 release "Timeless". The black tie affair will be held on Saturday, June 28 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 8:00 p.m.

• Eugene Grey's jazz Timeless [+ Show ]
  

  ...Grey's jazzy, clean, and shimmering guitar lines are a wonderful addition to the overall sound. .......Grey's jazzy, clean, and shimmering guitar lines are a wonderful addition to the overall sound. ...making a delightful listen.

Setlist

The below set list runs approximately 1hr 15

1. Fanfare - Original
2. Ancestral Dance - Original
3. Our Song - Original
4. Mango Song –Traditional Jazz version
5. Street Life
6. My Baby Just Cares
7. What Is This Thing Called Love
8. Donna Lee
9. The Badeniere - Original
10. Evening Time –Traditional Jazz version
11. Jammin’ – Jazz version

Extra
1. Tenor Madness
2. So What

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