Dean Fraser – The Verdict – VP
Ossie Hibbert, Joe Gibbs, Germain all great producers – all tried to get a good set from Dean – and they all seemed to run into the same problem – Dean!
He loves the soft and mellow sound of the sax. Good producers try to blend the artist into the rhythms they have. Some build the rhythms around the artist. An expensive approach that as not been tried too much in Jamaican music.
Fatis though was not a typical reggae producer. His work with Luciano, Mikey General, Chezidek, Nadine Sutherland, Morgan Heritage and Sizzla. Took all those artists up a level.
Could he do the same for Dean Fraser? The answer of course is yes.
What he builds around Dean on this album is a sound that stands firm. Its almost like a battle – Dean trying to go mellow – but Fatis making the rhythm even more militant. Solgie had a lot to do with this more than anything else.
You can't really imagine Solgie mixing a soft tune! But these are not just rhythm tracks with a bit of Dean. This is a bonefide sax album.
Just a shame that Fatis didn't make any more instrumental albums – reggae music needs them bad!!!