Maurice Gregory brings Christmas spirit
At the start of 2020, Maurice Gregory was secure in his 10-year job as keyboardist with third World, but yearned for a return to recording and producing his own songs.
He left the band early this year and on Friday will release Christmas in The
Air, his first song since that amicable departure.
Gregory wrote, produced and played all instruments on the single which will be distributed by Dub Shot Records.
“I always see Christmas as a time where we need to continue to spread love, the joy and the happiness and see it through the eyes of a child. That is what I wanted to express, writing this song and I hope it is delivered,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
While he has recorded an album and EP as a vocalist, this is Gregory’s first Yuletide song.
It was not difficult composing Christmas in The Air. “Whenever you write a song about a real experience the authenticity translates to everyone,” he said.
The past 18 months have been busy for the 47-yearold musician whose older brothers are deejays Papa San and Dirtsman. Last year, he released the EP, Grooving, and toured to promote More Work to be Done, Third World’s Grammy-nominated album.
Gregory has been a touring musician since his late teens, starting out with ska great Justin Hines. He next became a member of the SANE band, which backed acts like Freddie Mcgregor and Michael Rose, and has also worked with Wayne Wonder and Ky-mani Marley.
Closure, Gregory’s solo album, was released in 2010.