Dean Fraser and Tarrus Riley bring Mother’s Day reggae supper to Plantation Smokehouse, St Ann

Mother’s Day at Plantation Smokehouse in Richmond, St Ann, is being lined up as an evening where guests eat, hear live bandsmen work, and leave with fresh stories, as Dean Fraser on saxophone and Tarrus Riley on vocals share a small-scale supper-and-stage format on the grounds.

Promoters expect the pair to steer a household-friendly set list through cornerstone reggae vocals and horn-led pieces, with the restaurant’s green surrounds as the backdrop.

Ahead of the date, The Gleaner interviewed Fraser, still introduced in the trade as the ‘Saxophone Giant of Reggae’. In close to fifty years on the road and in the booth he has logged innumerable sessions, festival spots and overseas circuits, sharing stages or studios with Alton Ellis, Sly and Robbie, Marcia Griffiths, Steel Pulse and Third World while pressing ahead with his own headline catalogue and self-produced long-players.

Fraser said he means to hold nothing back for the mothers in the crowd. “Performing with Tarrus is always an honour, so for Mother’s Day, we will definitely make it extra special because they are the backbone of our families, our society, and ultimately the nation,” he said.

He argued that because women who mother also steady the wider community, they deserve ongoing recognition, which made the booking an easy yes. “I celebrate every woman to the fullest, including the women in my life– present and past. These are the shoulders we stand on and must never forget that they give us [the] strength to carry on. I salute and honour every mother.”

The bill also lands as Riley’s first Mother’s Day engagement on home soil. Speaking to THE STAR, he said he was glad for room to salute mothers openly. “My fans can expect an extra special Mother’s Day celebration that will come with a little surprise. I am eager to treat these patrons like the queens that they are,” he said.

Riley, often pictured alongside his mother Lavern, said her unflagging support for him fuels his wish to make the night stand out for ticket-holders. “I am blessed, privileged, and happy to have a close relationship with my mom, and she is celebrated throughout the year. Mother’s Day is just an extra reminder to me of how very special she is. One person who is always gonna cheer for me is my mom. One person who will always keep it real with me is my mom. She is a major source of inspiration in my life. The way she shows up for everyone, theway she approaches life, and just her general attitude towards life as a whole, are what keep me grounded. I have to salute that,” he said.

For 2026 Riley confirmed more audio is on the way, alongside ventures he believes followers will greet warmly. “I have been releasing some singles, and collabs, and doing my thing. Differently though, I am working on an album which I’ve almost finished, and I can’t wait to share it with my fans.”