Big Up!, Dean Fraser's first album for Island Jamaica Jazz, finds the saxophonist reworking a number of reggae and Jamaican classics -- including "Dick Tracy," "Have Mercy," "Shine Eye Gal," "None a Jah Children No Cry," "Armageddon Time" and "Natty Never Get Weary" -- turning them into jazz numbers. The result is invigorating, surprising music that keeps the spirit of reggae alive while incorporating the unpredictable instrumental improvisations of jazz.
Here the legendary Jamaican tenor sax man returns to his jazz roots (he was as a teenager a member of the Sonny Bradshaw Seven, before forming the Rass Brass reggae horn section in 1977). On this tune, recorded in late 1996, piano is by John Williams, and there are two drummers - Idris Muhammad in the right hand speaker and Sly Dunbar in the left.The tune itself was recorded by the Mighty Diamo...
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 "Big Up!")
