Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Robert Browne, musically known to the world as 'Dubwise', is just one of the many talented musicians to be born into the Browne family.

Dubwise, who is a known lead guitarist, says "Growing up seeing my father and uncles play was the biggest influence."

His uncles, Cleveland 'Clevie' Browne (of the famed duo Steely and Clevie) and Danny Browne are two of Jamaica's best-known record producers/musicians. Their brother, Noel Browne, is a much-respected musician/songwriter, who arranges for top acts like Freddie McGregor.

Dalton Browne (Freddie McGregor's musical director) is one of Jamaica's top rhythm guitarists, while Robert's father, Glenn Browne, has toured for many years as a bass player with Jimmy Cliff, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Luciano, Monty Alexander and others.

Now the younger generation of Brownes is emerging to carry on the tradition; among them the guitarist often simply called 'Dubz'.

Dubwise says he started out playing drums, with his twin brother, Richard 'Shams' Browne, on bass guitar. But his love for music could not keep him away from other instruments. "When I couldn't get to play drums I use to sit an jam a string instrument with him (Shams), until I decided to get a guitar from my uncle and jam with him. I think I was about nine or 10 that time," he said.

Who is who

As the brothers developed their talents as musicians, Dubwise says persons became confused as to who was who, as many were not aware that they were twins.

"More time people wi si mi an seh Shams wah gwaan an mi haffi seh no a nuh Shams dis. Because a lot of people never knew he had a twin. Wah happen, because Shams was managing T.O.K. and he was in their videos and he is a producer, artistes and other producers use to know him more," he explained.

Dubwise was more of the behind the scenes person, more into playing music for artistes.

"I used to play in a band for Dennis Brown and then from there I use to play for Damian Marley and after Damian, mi get a link to play with Shaggy's band in 1998. But for the past three years mi start juggle round more because more people start request mi and if Shaggy not doing anything then I am available," he said.

High school band

Playing music as part of a band is something that Dubwise had been doing from as early as his high school days at Jamaica College, but he says "This band was not one that people would know.

"In high school wi did have a little band, me (lead guitarist), my brother Shams on bass guitar, Red Rat deejay, and his brother Troy on drums, Dale Harrison on keyboard and the vocalist was Errol Bonnick, the guy weh sing fi Live Wyya now. But wi never really did anything while in school more than a few school fairs. We actually recorded an album, but that was never released due to finances," he said.

Things have changed, as Dubwise has performed in almost every major city in the world, playing with some of music's biggest names.

"Shaggy basically carry mi guh everywhere ... Africa, Australia, Japan, Russia, almost everywhere in Europe, China," he said. "It's nice to visit all these places where the culture is different. It's a nice experience. And since the other day, I was thinking that like black people couldn't walk freely in South Africa and like walking down the street or driving mi woulda seh 'yow, couple years ago this couldn't gwaan', so it's like an eye-opener and reality check."

Dubwise started working with Jimmy Cliff in 2005 and has also toured with Monty Alexander and Buju Banton. But, he says, "In Jamaica, I have worked with almost everybody, like in studio on their albums and so on." But it has got to the stage where "somebody ask mi who mi would a like play for an mi seh nobody. Mi si artiste an mi rate dem, but fi guh play fah? Because where I am in life now, I am trying to establish my individual career."

Honour for them

He, however, admitted, "it is a situation like me, Ernie Ranglin and Monty Alexander jamming, or like me and BB King on a show, any of the greats, it would be like an honour to share the stage with them."

As far as memorable performances go, Dubwise recalls "Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London, England. I went there with Monty Alexander. It is one of the biggest jazz clubs there and when you perform there, it's like the greatest thing."

Then there was "Sunsplash last year on the amphitheatre stage ... I didn't get a lot of patrons, but it was a lot of fun. Also, my first Jazz Festival out here in 2005. It was my first major performance as a solo artiste and that show is a very big show."

He, however, admits that usually he does the shows and tours "and then forget about them."

Many have described Dubwise's music as a fusion of reggae, rock, jazz and dancehall, especially on his first album, Birth. But he says "Most of the time I say I just play, but I know I am not a straight ahead jazz musician. But because of all these different influences come out in my playing, it's hard to really put a finger on one."

There are "influences like Jimmy Hendrix, Lee Ritenour, Joe Satriani, people like those. And obviously, Junior Marvin from The Wailers influence me a lot like playing-wise."

Dubwise says now, he is trying to focus more on developing his individual career, but "it's very, very hard to break away from playing for other artistes and focus on my individual career, because the bills haffi pay, and plus I like it." He says currently "I've just been trying to get more of what I do out there so people can know my work and my style of playing. I'm also working on a new album I started last year, but because of tours, I couldn't get to finish it. But it's a tribute to Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff, so I do like covers from them that people know, putting a few originals in between.

"But I'm just trying to get on as much shows as possible and like most of the Caribbean countries have a jazz festival, so I've been trying to get links to get on some of them," Dubwise said.