Dean Fraser

Last updated

Dean Fraser
DeanFraser.jpg
Background information
Birth nameDean Ivanhoe Fraser
Born (1957-08-04) 4 August 1957 (age 65)
Kingston, Jamaica
Genres reggae, jazz
Occupation(s)saxophonist
Instrument(s) saxophone, vocals
Years activemid-1970s – present
Labels Joe Gibbs, Germain, Island, Greensleeves, Shanachie, VP, RAS

Dean Ivanhoe Fraser (sometimes appearing as Dean Frazer; born 4 August 1957) [1] is a Jamaican 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. [2]

Contents

Biography

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Fraser started to play the clarinet at the age of 12. Around this time he met Ronald "Nambo" Robinson and Junior "Chico" Chin at a youth club in Jones Town and the three boys would eventually form a brass section. [2] Fraser took up saxophone at the age of 15. [1] 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. [2] 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. [2] 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. [2] Fraser went on to record two albums of Marley covers, Dean Plays Bob and Dean Plays Bob volume II. [1] Dean Fraser married Sophia Wright on March 21, 1993 in Clarendon Jamaica. They share one daughter.

The digital era of reggae, 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, [3] 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. [4] [5] More recently, Fraser has been recording, producing and touring with singers Tarrus Riley and Duane Stephenson. [6] [7] Also, Dean Fraser has redone 16 tracks on CD 2 of "We Remember Gregory Isaacs", which was recorded in 2011 on VP Records.

Discography

Solo albums


Collaborative albums


Albums produced by Dean Fraser


Participated albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest Ranglin</span> Jamaican guitarist and composer

Ernest Ranglin is a Jamaican guitarist and composer who established his career while working as a session guitarist and music director for various Jamaican record labels including Studio One and Island Records. Ranglin played guitar on many early ska recordings and helped create the rhythmic guitar style that defined the form. Ranglin has worked with Theophilus Beckford, Jimmy Cliff, Monty Alexander, Prince Buster, the Skatalites, Bob Marley and the Eric Deans Orchestra. He is noted for a chordal and rhythmic approach that blends jazz, mento and reggae with percussive guitar solos incorporating rhythm 'n' blues and jazz inflections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory Isaacs</span> Jamaican reggae musician

Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in The New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony B</span> Musical artist

Keith Blair, better known by the stage name Anthony B, is a Jamaican DJ and member of the Rastafari movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beres Hammond</span> Musical artist

Beres Hammond OJ is a Jamaican reggae singer known in particular for his lovers rock music. While his career began in the 1970s, he reached his greatest success in the 1990s.

<i>Soul Rebels</i> 1970 studio album by Bob Marley and the Wailers

Soul Rebels is the second studio album by the Wailers, their first album to be released outside Jamaica. The Wailers approached producer Lee "Scratch" Perry in August 1970 to record an entire album, and the sessions took place at Randy's recording studio above Randy's Record Mart at 17 North Parade in Kingston, Jamaica, until November. First issued in the UK by Trojan Records in December 1970, the album has since been re-released several times on several different labels. Perry's production is sparse and haunting, only featuring guitar, bass, drums, electronic organs, and vocals with no horns or other embellishments.

Clive Hunt is a Jamaican reggae multi-instrumentist, arranger, composer and producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VP Records</span> US independent reggae record label

VP Records is an independent Caribbean-owned record label in Queens, New York. The label is known for releasing music by notable artists in reggae, dancehall and soca. VP Records has offices in New York City, Miami, London, Kingston, Tokyo, Johannesburg and Rio de Janeiro. Additionally, the label has established a presence in Toronto, Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luciano (singer)</span> Jamaican singer

Jepther McClymont OD, better known as Luciano, is a Jamaican second-generation roots reggae singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl "Chinna" Smith</span> Musical artist

Earl "Chinna" Smith, a.k.a. Earl Flute and Melchezidek the High Priest, is a Jamaican guitarist active since the late 1960s. He is most well known for his work with the Soul Syndicate band and as guitarist for Bob Marley & the Wailers, among others, and has recorded with many reggae artists, appearing on more than 500 albums.

Wayne Jobson, also known as Native Wayne, is a Jamaican record producer of European ancestry. He has worked with such artists as No Doubt, Gregory Isaacs and Toots & the Maytals. He hosts the weekly radio show "Alter Native" every Sunday afternoon on Indie 103.1. He previously hosted a similar radio show, "Reggae Revolution", at Indie's main competitor KROQ-FM. Jobson is also known as a musician. He recorded an album in 1977 produced by Lee 'Scratch' Perry at the Black Ark.

Tommy Cowan CD is a producer and singer, initially working in reggae but later concentrating on gospel, who has been involved in the music business since the 1960s. He is also an ordained Gospel minister and a justice of the peace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernie Smith (singer)</span> Musical artist

Ernie Smith is a reggae singer, with a deep baritone voice, who had his greatest success in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Ruddy Thomas was a Jamaican reggae singer, musician, and recording engineer, who had his greatest successes as a singer in the late 1970s and early 1980s with lovers rock songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwight Pinkney</span> Jamaican guitarist

Dwight Pinkney OD, also known as Brother Dee, is a Jamaican guitarist best known for his work as a session musician and as a member of Zap Pow and the Roots Radics, who since 1999 has recorded as a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarrus Riley</span> Musical artist

Omar "Tarrus" Riley is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and member of the Rastafari movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sadiki</span> Musical artist

Henry Buckley Jr. aka Sadiki previously known as Pancho Kryztal, is a Jamaican-American singer, songwriter and producer.

Kemar McGregor, also known by his nicknames, DJ Flava and Flava McGregor, is a Jamaican-American pop reggae producer. He has recorded and produced music for the most renowned artists in the music industry, including Sinead O'Connor, Musiq Soulchild, Syleena Johnson, Jon Secada, Maxi Priest, Sizzla, Marcia Griffiths, Beenie Man, Wayne Wonder, Buju Banton, Capleton, Sanchez, Freddie McGregor, Luciano, Sugar Minott, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, Morgan Heritage, Half Pint, Tanya Stephens, Gyptian, Cas Haley, Beres Hammond, Glen Washington, Etana and Cocoa Tea, among many others. McGregor is the owner and chief executive officer of FM Records.

David Madden is a Jamaican trumpeter known for his solo recordings and as a member of Zap Pow, as well as playing on records of Bob Marley and many other great reggae artists.

Duane Stephenson is a Jamaican reggae singer who has released three albums on VP Records, and works primarily in the roots reggae genre.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Allmusic.com biography by Sandra Brennan
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Larkin, Colin: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, 1998. ISBN   0-7535-0242-9.
  3. Van Pelt, Carter. Luciano Interviewed by Carter Van Pelt. inetnebr.com. 28 February 1999. Retrieved 2011-3-23.
  4. CD Reviews - Luciano. CaribPlanet. Retrieved 2011-3-23.
  5. Taylor, Angus. Luciano United States of Africa Review. BBC Music. 2010-07-09. Retrieved 2011-3-23.
  6. Taylor, Angus. Interviews - Tarrus Riley Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine . Reggae News. Retrieved 2011-3-23.
  7. Duane Stephenson Archived 21 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine . Imagine Dat Entertainment Services. 2009. Retrieved 2011-3-23.
  8. "Sings and Blows - Dean Fraser". AllMusic.
  9. "Two Colors - Dean Fraser / Ernie Ranglin". AllMusic.
  10. "We Remember Bob Andy - Various Artists". AllMusic.
  11. "Beres Hammond - Never Ending". AllMusic.