Dean Fraser (JM)

About

Also known as: Dean Frasier (misspelling), Dean Frazer

Dean Fraser is the saxophonist whose horn has shaped the sound of Jamaican reggae for decades, appearing on thousands of recordings since the mid 1970s. His early work with Lloyd Parks' We The People Band brought him into the orbit of Dennis Brown and producer Joe Gibbs, and his debut album Black Horn Man came out in 1978. A standout moment came at the 1981 Reggae Sunsplash, where he played an instrumental version of Bob Marley's Redemption Song, a performance that eventually led to the 1984 album Pumping Air on Island Records' Mango label. He later recorded two full albums of Marley covers, Dean Plays Bob and Dean Plays Bob Volume II. Fraser's versatility kept him relevant through every shift in reggae's sound. He provided horns for Sly and Robbie throughout the 1980s, toured extensively with Luciano, and worked closely with Tarrus Riley and Duane Stephenson. He also contributed to Sinead O'Connor's reggae record Throw Down Your Arms and collaborated with guitar legend Ernie Ranglin on the 2022 album Two Colors. The Jamaican government recognised his contribution with the Musgrave Medal in 1993.