Dean Fraser
Encyclopedia
Dean Fraser (b. Dean Ivanhoe Fraser, Kingston, Jamaica
c.1955) is a Jamaica
n saxophonist
who has contributed to hundreds of reggae
recordings since the mid-1970s. He was awarded the Musgrave Medal by the Jamaican government in 1993 in recognition of his services to music.
at the age of 12. Around this time he met Ronald 'Nambo' Robinson and Junior 'Chico' Chinn at a youthclub in Jonestown
and the three boys would eventually form a brass section. Fraser took up saxophone at the age of 15. The trio became the foremost horn section in Jamaica in the 1980s. In 1977 he joined Lloyd Parks
' We The People Band, backing Dennis Brown
on several of his recordings for Joe Gibbs
. Fraser's first album, 1978's Black Horn Man was produced by Gibbs. This was followed in 1979 by Pure Horns and Double Dynamite, and in 1980 by Revolutionary Sounds for producer Donovan Germain
. Fraser provided horns for Sly & Robbie in the 1980s, both on record and on tour. Fraser appeared at the 1981 Reggae Sunsplash
, performing an instrumental version of the recently-deceased Bob Marley
's "Redemption Song", which led to the 1984 album Pumping Air on Island Records
' Mango label. Fraser went on to record two albums of Marley covers, Dean Plays Bob and Dean Plays Bob volume II.
The digital era of reggae, which is defined by the use of computers and drum machines to create the backing track, did not affect his output since acoustic instruments such as the saxophone were still in demand. Fraser has released several more albums since and he is recognized as one of Jamaica's top musicians.
He toured extensively with Luciano
from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, as well as performing on and adding production to several of the singer's albums, including A New Day, Serious Times and Jah Is My Navigator.
More recently, Fraser has been recording, producing and touring with singers Tarrus Riley
and Duane Stephenson.
He is Uncle to Hip Hop Mc Reggiimental.
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
c.1955) is a Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
who has contributed to hundreds of reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
recordings since the mid-1970s. He was awarded the Musgrave Medal by the Jamaican government in 1993 in recognition of his services to music.
Biography
Fraser started to play the clarinetClarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
at the age of 12. Around this time he met Ronald 'Nambo' Robinson and Junior 'Chico' Chinn at a youthclub in Jonestown
Jonestown
Jonestown was the informal name for the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, an intentional community in northwestern Guyana formed by the Peoples Temple led by Jim Jones. It became internationally notorious when, on November 18, 1978, 918 people died in the settlement as well as in a nearby...
and the three boys would eventually form a brass section. Fraser took up saxophone at the age of 15. The trio became the foremost horn section in Jamaica in the 1980s. In 1977 he joined Lloyd Parks
Lloyd Parks
Lloyd Parks is a reggae vocalist and bass player.-Biography:Parks' interest in music was fuelled by his uncle Dourie Bryan, who played in a calypso band, and Parks became the band's singer...
' We The People Band, backing Dennis Brown
Dennis Brown
Dennis Emmanuel Brown was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers rock, a sub-genre of reggae...
on several of his recordings for Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs (record producer)
Joe Gibbs born Joel A. Gibson was a Jamaican reggae producer.-Biography:Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its...
. Fraser's first album, 1978's Black Horn Man was produced by Gibbs. This was followed in 1979 by Pure Horns and Double Dynamite, and in 1980 by Revolutionary Sounds for producer Donovan Germain
Donovan Germain
Donovan Germain is a reggae producer, one of the most successful of the digital era.-Biography:Germain's entry into the music industry was via his record shop in New York City in the 1970s. He began production in 1972, visiting Jamaica for recording sessions, working in both roots reggae and...
. Fraser provided horns for Sly & Robbie in the 1980s, both on record and on tour. Fraser appeared at the 1981 Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash is a reggae music festival first staged in 1978 in the northern part of Jamaica. In 1985 it expanded with the addition of an international touring festival...
, performing an instrumental version of the recently-deceased Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's "Redemption Song", which led to the 1984 album Pumping Air on Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
' Mango label. Fraser went on to record two albums of Marley covers, Dean Plays Bob and Dean Plays Bob volume II.
The digital era of reggae, which is defined by the use of computers and drum machines to create the backing track, did not affect his output since acoustic instruments such as the saxophone were still in demand. Fraser has released several more albums since and he is recognized as one of Jamaica's top musicians.
He toured extensively with Luciano
Luciano (singer)
Luciano is a Jamaican second generation roots reggae artist and poet....
from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, as well as performing on and adding production to several of the singer's albums, including A New Day, Serious Times and Jah Is My Navigator.
More recently, Fraser has been recording, producing and touring with singers Tarrus Riley
Tarrus Riley
Tarrus Riley is a Jamaican-American reggae singer, the son of Jimmy Riley.-Biography:...
and Duane Stephenson.
He is Uncle to Hip Hop Mc Reggiimental.