b. c.1955, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Fraser's rich, fulsome tenor tone has helped to make him the foremost Jamaican reggae saxophonist. He first appeared on the Jamaican music scene in the mid-70s when the importance of brass in reggae bands was starting to fade. He began by playing clarinet with the National Volunteer Programme in Jonestown, where he met Ronald "Nambo" Robinson and Junior "Chico" Chinn, a trombonist and trumpeter. Together they would become the most well-known brass section in Jamaica during the 80s. To begin with, they played jazz and R&B standards at old people's homes but Fraser left to join Sonny Bradshaw's band, which played mainly jazz arrangements and provided an opportunity for young musicians to learn about the music business. Fraser first recorded with Lloyd "Gitsy" Willis in 1975 and in 1977, he joined the We The People Band, led by Lloyd Parks, the singer, producer and bassist. The band recorded several successful records for Joe Gibbs and gained a high profile backing Dennis Brown. In 1978, Gibbs produced Fraser's first album, Black Horn Man. Donovan Germain produced Revolutionary Dream in 1980. Some of Fraser's early singles included versions of vocal records, delivered in a smooth, delicate tone similar to that of Slim Smith. As "Youth Sax", he regularly backed Sly And Robbie on world tours and in the studio, and also played with Gregory Isaacs. He performed an emotionally charged version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" at the 1981 Reggae Sunsplash (the first since Marley's death), which unusually put Fraser centre-stage and led to Mango commissioning Pumping Air. Demand for Fraser's playing ironically increased as computerized music began to infiltrate reggae in the mid-80s and his saxophone playing added a human touch to numerous digital rhythms. He had a surprise hit in 1987 with "Girlfriend" for Dennis Star and this prompted him to rejuvenate his singing voice on Sings And Blows and Dancehall Sax for Star, which provided him with further Jamaican hits. Gussie Clarke increasingly used Fraser's talents from 1988 onwards, initially as a session player on Clarke's one-rhythm albums, then as a vital part of the production team, arranging and playing on work by artists such as Cocoa Tea, Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown and Freddie McGregor. He still takes this role for producers Carlton Hines and Philip "Fatis" Burrell. Fraser is part of a saxophone tradition leading back to musicians such as Tommy McCook and Roland Alphonso. An older Jamaican community will always have a fondness for his records. He was awarded the Musgrave Medal by the Jamaican government in 1993 for his musical achievements.

Listen to Dean Fraser at Finetune.

• (2007)  Slow Melodies
• (2007)  Retrospect

• Africa
• Rent A Car
• A Song
• My Sax
• After All That's Said And Done

• Gregory Isaacs
• Burning Spear
• Beres Hammond
• Chaka Demus
• Gyptian
• Jah Cure
• John Holt
• Aswad
• Morgan Heritage
• Byron Lee
• Diana King
• Half Pint
• I Roy
• Ini Kamoze
• Inner Circle
• Israel Vibration
• Joe Higgs
• Junior Murvin
• Justin Hinds
• Marcia Griffiths

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