Representative Albums: "Sings and Blows," "RAS Portraits," "Dean Plays Bob"
Biography
Sax player Dean Fraser has been tearing up horn sections on innumerable reggae singles, working with some of Jamaica's legends, including Bob Marley and the Wailers, since 1978. He is considered one of Jamaica's finest brass players and has developed an international following for his sultry jazz-toned reggae music. He was born Dean Ivanhoe Fraser in Kingston and began playing the clarinet at the National Volunteers' Youth Organization community club at age 12. At age 15, his teacher, Babe O'Brian, taught him the saxophone. Fraser formed his first band, the Sonny Bradshaw 7, around 1978. It was rising reggae star Jacob Miller who helped Fraser become popular. At the time, Miller would occasionally jam with Fraser and band while they were performing at the Sheraton. He took a liking to Fraser's song "Take Five," and so took the young sax player to the studio. Fraser had recorded an earlier single, "Blue Moon." Unfortunately, a labeling mistake on the "Take Five" single named the talented new artist Jah Devon instead of Dean Fraser. That problem was rectified on all his subsequent work. In the mid '90s, he released Dean Plays Bob and Dean Plays Bob, Volume II as a tribute to the music of his long-time idol Bob Marley. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Music Guide
Dean Fraser (sometimes appearing as Dean Frazer) (b. Dean Ivanhoe Fraser, Kingston, Jamaica c.1955)[1] is a Jamaicansaxophonist 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]
Biography
Fraser started to play the clarinet 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.[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] 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.
