Monday, August 15, 2016

Day 289 of 365 Day Jamaican Music Challenge - Phillip Fraser - John Saw Them Coming

Highly influenced by Slim Smith, Phillip Fraser got his start in music by entering talent contests at the Club Bohemian Nightclub on Maxfield Avenue in Kingston.  In the competitions, artists would often cover foreign tunes and Fraser quickly gained a reputation for being one of the best as doing so and his adaptability was what helped him a few years later.  When the burgeoning dancehall sound started to pickup steam in the late 70's, Phillip Fraser's ability to deliver lyrics to popular songs over drum and bass driven riddims established him as one of the first real dancehall singers.  But Phillip Fraser is more than just a sweet voice, his Rastafari faith has always been a major factor in his life and the strong lyrical quality of his music.  Take for instance today's track, the 287th in the 365 Day Challenge, "John Saw Them Coming" which is lifted off his 1978 album Come Ethiopians originally released on the Freedom Sounds label which Fraser established with producer Bertram Brown... pure roots inna rub-a-dub style!

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