WE NEED LOVE: JOHNNY OSBOURNE, TARRUS RILEY & DEAN FRASER REVIVE A ROOTS CLASSIC
Living legend Johnny Osbourne joins roots icon Tarrus Riley and saxophone titan Dean Fraser for We Need Love, an uplifting reimagining of one of Osbourne’s most celebrated tracks. This inspired collaboration offers the first glimpse of Osbourne’s forthcoming album Universal Love Showcase, which is set for release through VP Records.
The song’s foundation riddim traces back to Otis Gayle’s revered 1972 reggae cover of The Spinners’ I’ll Be Around. Produced by Clement “Coxsone” Dodd for Studio One, and featuring an unforgettable Jackie Mittoo organ solo, Gayle’s version became a selector’s staple across Kingston.
It also inspired a young Osbourne, who later returned to Jamaica from Canada to record at the legendary studio. Selecting the same riddim for his 1979 Truth & Rights album, Osbourne transformed it into We Need Love, a standout album-only track.
WE NEED LOVE BRIDGES GENERATIONS WHILE KEEPING THE STUDIO ONE SPIRIT ALIVE
Now, Osbourne and Riley breathe new life into the classic. Produced by Frenchie of Maximum Sound and mixed by Gregory Morris, this version balances reverence with fresh energy. Dean Fraser’s stirring saxophone solo crowns the recording, bridging generations while nodding to Chronixx’s later cut Majesty.
Stylistically adventurous yet spiritually rooted, We Need Love ensures this handclapping, foot-stomping music continues to resonate for decades to come.
ABOUT JOHNNY OSBOURNE
Affectionately called the Dancehall Godfather, Johnny Osbourne has shaped Jamaican music for nearly six decades, his voice a constant through shifting eras. A graduate of Alpha Boys’ School, he witnessed reggae’s birth, then rode dancehall’s wave into the digital age, always adapting.
Working with producers like Winston Riley, King Jammy, and Bobby Digital, he forged tracks that defined generations. Still recording and touring worldwide, Osbourne remains a vital, commanding presence.
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ABOUT TARRUS RILEY
Born Omar Riley in the Bronx and raised in Kingston, Tarrus Riley channels Rastafari consciousness and diasporic memory through his voice. Son of singer Jimmy Riley, he carries a rich reggae lineage.
His albums, from Parables to Love Situation, blend intimacy with cultural weight. Hits like She’s Royal centre Black womanhood and resilience. Teaming up with artists across genres, Riley remains a griot of modern reggae, fusing activism and melody.
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ABOUT DEAN FRASER
Born in Kingston in 1957, Dean Fraser redefined reggae’s horn tradition, transforming the saxophone into a voice of resistance and reverence. From groundbreaking solo works to shaping Luciano’s spiritual renaissance on albums like Serious Times, Fraser’s playing threads through reggae’s core.
Fraser has worked with legends from Dennis Brown to Sly & Robbie, and he remains a sculptor of the genre’s melodic architecture and soul.
