Artist Biography

According to Rootz Reggae & Kulcha magazine (2004), “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 recently completed his own tour in Argentina in 2008 and a tour as lead guitarist with Jamaica’s legendary Sly & Robbie in 2009. In December of 2010 Mr. Grey released his latest solo double album CD called Diversity available on itunes, CDBaby, Digstation.com, etc.

He was born in Green Island Jamaica, went to Ruseas High School where he started playing the harmonica in the School Band. After winning 1st place in the Pop and Mento competition, he taught himself to play the trombone, drums, piano and lastly the guitar which he made. Upon leaving Ruseas High School Eugene became the Lead Guitarist with the great band from Savana-la-mar, The Mighty Quinns led by Bryan “Bones” Atkinson. When the Quinns dissolved he went to the Yellow Bird Club to join Tony Hammond and the Sultons. While in this band Eugene started to perfect his skills as a composer and arranger. His first two compositions were featured on a Jazz festival held at the Holiday Inn. Eugene formed many bands through the years starting with The Soul Hermits and The Pot Hole Construction. He then joined Fab 5 where he worked on their first album, contributing one song, “Vagabond”. From Fab 5 Eugene joined The Caribs at the Sheraton Kingston Hotel where sometimes he would fill in for Jamaica’s legendary guitarist Ernest Ranglin.

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”.

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).

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.