THE records will show that trumpeter David Madden played on some of the great reggae songs, including Door Peep by Burning Spear and Bob Marley’s Misty Morning.

But the veteran musician has an appreciation for contemporary sounds.

David Madden on trumpet. (PHOTO: IRIEUP.COM)

Madden, 68, experimented with computer beats on his Cyberska album a decade ago, putting a futuristic spin on Skatalites standards like Confucius. He continues the trend on Pon Di Internet, his latest release.

The self-produced song was recorded 10 months ago but Madden only recently released it on iTunes and YouTube. Like the Cyberska project, he sings on Pon Di Internet but plays trumpet on alternate versions.

“The Internet is an explosive thing, some in my generation are not keen on it, but I feel it’s important we acknowledge it,” said Madden.

For a conventional reggae feel, three veteran musicians — guitarists Winston ‘Bo Pee’ Bowen and Lebert ‘Gibby’ Morrison and keyboardist Bowie McLaughlin — worked with Madden on Pon Di Internet. Bassist Alfred Crossley and Terrence Lo on drums also contributed to the song.

Madden admits his knowledge of the Internet is limited. “I know enough to send an email,” he said, but adds he is intrigued by the medium’s boundless scope.

Thanks to the Internet, a new generation of music fans are familiar with the work of David Madden and his contemporaries. He learned to play trumpet at the Alpha Boys School in Kingston and started his recording career by playing on Spear’s first album for Studio One.

While he has played on hit songs for numerous artists, Madden has also done well for himself. He and saxophonist Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks had a monster hit in 1970 with the instrumental Money Maker; during that period, Madden helped start the Zap Pow band which scored with the jazzy instrumental, Mystic Mood.

Promoting music has changed considerably since Madden entered the business 45 years ago. He is aware of this and plans to push his latest project the modern way — Pon Di Internet.