Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Tony Greene

A pragmatic Tony Greene might not see himself as a sole saxman, bravely and successfully playing his horn amid the barrage of electronic beats and rapid-fire rhymes that characterises prime-time radio and music-video slots.

But his sixth solo album, Midnight Blue (and he has two more in the making), does stand on its own very well in the torrent of dance hall music. Released on VP Records, Midnight Blue was launched in Jamaica on September 30 (in a double presentation with Althea 'Di Chick' Hewitt) and in Canada on October 12.

Greene says the latter launch, at Sydneys in Mississiauga, was over the Thanksgiving period and there was "a full house. The response was good, the write-ups were good". And, most importantly, "the CDS moved in the stores after that".

Along with perennial partner Mallory Williams, Greene is co-producer of Midnight Blue and is the sole executive producer of the 14-track CD, which was started in November 2007 and finished March 2008. He does not take solo lead performing billing, though, as there are five guests, all chosen carefully. Boris Gardiner is the guest on Happiness ("I think he has a great voice"), the approach of the singer doing the first verse and the saxophonist taken from John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman's My Only Lover.

Guitarist Ernest Ranglin guests on the final track, Smooth Sailing, and Greene says, "I always wanted to do a song with a guitar by itself. The ultimate man is Ernest Ranglin. I wrote the song."

Sax in Dub

Then, there is the dub of Sax in Dub with Sly and Robbie. "Robbie was playing a bassline and I said I like it, it turned out to be a dub," Greene said. Warfare and Natasha are younger performers, appearing on Moving In and All of My Life, respectively.

The idea title track of a set with nine originals and five covers (among them Trottin' In, Concrete Jungle and Police and Thieves) came just past the witching hour when Greene was at home.

"I like how the album turned out. I got some good airplay. Thanks to all the media who support me. Without them there is no me," Greene said.

The albums to come are one with Tony Greene and strings, the other is a lovers' rock set of cover versions.

Instrumental music

And he reminds The Sunday Gleaner, which asked if instrumental music had a place in today's Jamaican musical landscape, that "it was the first part of the business", going back to jazz, mento and ska. "The Skatalites are one of the greatest bands up to now," Greene said.

Don't look for him to be part of a band these days, though, as Greene has "gone fully solo now. If a man calls me to go on a tour I will go and come back. But to go and join a man's band? No".

When he performs it is just as he records, live music all the way with the Top Secret Crew.

They tour the United States on a promotional run for Midnight Blue, shortly.