RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL BAND  was formed in Mid January 2000 and consists  of  
          eight  playing members.

         They are:

         Derick “Rah” Peter                Drums, Lead Vocals

         Rohan ‘Rohi’ Williams           Lead Vocals

         Hayford Junior Lafond          Bass Guitar, Back Vocals

         Earison Matthew                  Keyboards, Drum Programming

         Jeoffrey Joseph                     Keyboards, Back Vocals

         Donney Harry                      Keyboards, Back Vocals

         Delton ‘Deli’ Alfred               Drums, Back Vocals

         Emile Lancelot                      Guitar, Back Vocals

         Raw Redeem to date has recorded and produced two (2) Albums.

             1.Me nous la released in the summer of 2000

             2.Gimme little bouyon released in August 2001.

The band has performed in Antigua in 2000, Guadeloupe, Marie Galante, St. Lucia and locally on the Carnival  Band Splash in 2001, a performance which is still being talked about. The Band can boast that it has accomplished more  than any other newly formed band in its setting has ever done. This can be attributed to its blend of youthful talent and  mature experience.

Raw Redeem International plans to maintain Bouyon Music by helping other local and international artists and bands to produce and record bouyon music and expose it to the different international markets.  

Biography on Band Members

DERICK RAH PETERS

Has worked in many aspects of the Dominican Culture. He began in his early years with groups such as Harambee under the leadership of Sister‘Nats’ Natherlie Charles and did drama, dance and performance poetry backed up by drums and percussion. He then went to the Peoples’ Action Theatre (P.A.T), directed by Aiwin Bully, which made famous plays like, Dream on Monkey Mountain, Streak, Ruler in Hiroona, in which Rah had a minor part as “Penny Fardin’.

Another group was formed that was the Group I in which he did drums, percussion and chants, with performers/entertainers like Lionel ‘Lion’ Leslie, Ras Algie, Ras Moe, Gregs, Ras Gal, Charles ‘chalo’ Pierre, to name a few. Band life began with a group called Earth (Liquid Ice Earth), which open for bands like Exile One on their Dominican Tours. The line up was Ashton Wakas, Lugay on ‘Guitar’,

Dexter Valmond on ‘Drums’, Frankie Tough on ‘Keyboards’, Leroy ‘Spikey’ Guest on

head guitar, Derek on Bass and Rah on percussions and head vocals. (1) album was

recorded in Guadeloupe by Debbs in 1979. The band suffered the loss of it members after Hurricane David and most went to places like the U.S.A, Canada and the U.K seeking education and a better life.

  Band No. 2 was Roof Top Connection. The line-up included Ashton Wakas Lugay, Roger Williams, Dave Phillip all on Guitar, Irvin Smokey Phillip - keyboards, Peter ‘Ras Gal’ Fingal - Drums, Hillary Tilly Thomas - lead vocal, Kervin ‘stinky’ Stephenson - Back vocals percussions, also there were few bass players such as Darly Williams, Freddy Nicholas and Clive Jean Jacque. There was also performances done from time to

time by ‘Eddy’ ‘Izar’ Toulon on vocals and Rah did lead vocals and percussions. Roof Top Connection only played Hard Core Reggae.

 Band No. 3 was called Unity with Tony Arron on bass, Peter Fingal on Drums, Irvin Smokey Phillip on Keyboards, Sammy on Guitar. Rah did lead vocals, drums and percussions and Lenox Gallian played the Guitar.

 Band no. 4 was WCK Windward Caribbean Culture. As a founder member Rah worked in the capacity of Drummer, Lead Vocals, Composer, Arranger and Author.

 He also managed the companies BOUYON MUSIC PUBLISHING PROMOTION Co. and SUCCEED PROMOTIONS together with Emile De Pooter and also assisted in the distribution of CD’s.       

After performing with WCK for over thirteen years and produced, composed and wrote Ten (10) albums, with hits like Conch Shell, Balance Batty, Met Ve’ye’, Cultur Shock, Band Wagon Train, Our Night, to mention a few, changes came in December of 1999 Early 2000. Rah was required to depart from WCK. Therefore Rah made a move to create the band RAW REDEEM iNTERNATIONAL which represents bouyon music in its original from.      

Rah’s music has been influenced by the local Dominica Folk music, with ingredients such as Zig Ping, Lapou Cabwit, Belle’ and Cadence and other rhytluns such as Zouk or Mazouka, Calypso, Reggae, R&B, Soul, Latin American and more recently Hip Hop.        

Groups and individuals which inspires Rah’s music are first ‘Jali’ most high spirit, Osebasa, Olatongy, Santana, Malo, Tito Puente, Bob Marly, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Dennis Brown, Black Uhuru, Aswad, Steel Pulse, Wailers and Third World.        

Rohan Williams

BOLD, VIBRANT, ENERGETIC, AN]) CHARISMATIC! Words, which can be used to describe Rohan “Rohi” Williams of the RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL BAND. Rohan has been an instant hit with the fans from the moment he entered the musical scene in 1996 as a member of the FIRST SERENADE BAND.

Throughout his musical career he has been a crowd favorite, charming his fans and silencing his many critics with his unusual antics and astounding crowd control. He has written tracks, which has represented a unique blend of social commentary and upbeat party tunes. This includes as part of the FIRST SERENADE BAND hits such as Pas “Goumen”, “Mal Maye” and “Chicken Rhythm”. He also helped in the organization and creation of mega hits such as the “Old Mas Medley” and “Donkey Tricks”.         

In 2000 Rohi combined inspiration and talent with Derek “Rah” Peters and a supreme musical force was born, The RAW REDEEM iNTERNATIONAL BAND. As a member of RAW REDEEM Rohi has penned more super hits such as “Pranchan”, “Raw” and “Who’s That Girl” 

Rohi continues to look forward to performing and making musical fans happy in the year 2001 and beyond.

Hayford Lafond JR.

Hayford Lafond affectionately called Junior and also nicknamed “Topsie” is a founding member of the RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL BAND. He is the Band leader and Bass player and also does Studio back-up vocals.       

Hayford is formerly a member of the now defunct EFEX BAND, a band he was part of

from 1992-1998 when the band broke-up. He then moved on to play bass guitar as a hired musician, playing for popular local groups such as PARTNERS IN KRYME and the ROUGH AND READY BAND.        

With the EFEX BAND, Hayford was part of the recording of four albums and toured

within and outside the Caribbean region. Hayford played a vital role in organizing and recording of the RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL BAND’s two albums, the second of which will be soon released.

Hayford is looking forward to the growth of the band in its aspiration to reach higher heights.

Earlson Matthew

Earlson Matthew is a founding member of the RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL BAND playing keyboards and doing drum programming       

His formal training in music was obtained at the Kiari School of Music. He also spent a lot of time in the RSB Band’s band house, a fact which explains his keen interest in bouyon music.

Earison is interested in various forms of music, his favourite being bouyon, zouk, cadence lypso, hip hop and reggae. Earison plans include continued music education, studying recording engineering and settling up his own recording studio.        

Donney J. Harry

Apart from playing with RAW REDEM INTERNATIONAL Donney also plays keyboard for the Salisbury Catholic Church Choir.        

Prior to playing with RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL Donney has played with a number of small groups, one of which was the High Voltage Band of Portsmouth. Being a member of that group Donney was afforded the opportunity to record an album titled “Problem Child”.

After the group parted he migrated to ST. Marten where he played with a Reggae Band, which gave him the joy of traveling to other islands for the first time as a musician.

Donney is looking forward to using his skills as musician in furthering the BOUYON music industry through the RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL.

Emile B. Lancelot

Emile is the latest addition to the RAW REDEEM Family. He was brought into the group in February 2001 when the need for a new guitarist arose due to the departure of the band’s original guitarist. He also assists with back- up vocals        

Being a former student of the Kiari School of Music, a member and guitarist of the Canefield Youth Choir for over 12 years and frequenting other such groups has given Emile the opportunity to provide musical accompaniment to number of persons and groups and so develop his skills in various musical styles.  

Prior to becoming a member of RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL, Emile was a member of the Look-Us Band and was involved in the production of one album with that group. He was also a member of the Raga muffin Band at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies, a group which performed at a number of campus concerts. In recent times, he has also provided musical accompaniment for the Voices of Fatima CD and the Ophelia and the Pioneer Prep Choir Christmas 2000 CD.

Emile is looking forward to continuing playing a part in RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL, a group poised to make a great contribution to the development of music in Dominica and Internationally.

Delton H. Alfred

Delton Alfred, commonly known as ‘Dellie’ joined the RAW REDEEM INTERNATIONAL BAND in January 2000. He did back-up vocals and assisted in the drumming department thereby giving Rah the opportunity to spend more time up front interacting with the audience during live performances.      

Though he has never attended music school, Dellie possesses raw talent. This has been developed through time spent with the RSB Band from the age of 13. His involvement with a small group called the Rock Band. He also was a drummer for the Fanta Band.        

Dellie has a diverse interest in music such as Rap, R&B, Reggae, Zouk and Bouyon. Bands which have influenced his music interest include RSB, WCK, Krosfire, Burning Flames and Morgan Heritage.

Becoming one of the top musicians in the Caribbean is a goal that Delton is working hard to achieve and in so doing would like to contribute to the progress of Dominican Music.

JEOFFREY J. JOSEPH

An enthusiastic lover of music and performing arts, Jeoffrey J Joseph a.k.a Triple J or “Yout” has been playing music from since the tender age of 3 three. A percussionist from the beginning Jeotfrey then decided to move on to the keyboard at age 10. Learning at Mrs. Valina Letang’s school of music for the next 3 years he decided that the keyboards was the instrument for him.         

Jeoffrey was always a strong supporter of the local Bouyon, Kadance, Zouk, Calypso, and Soca music following the likes of the WCK band and RSB Band. He was vely much adamant in creating his own style of music and hence decided to form the “JUV1NILZ” Band. In January 1999 that group produced its first recording. In May 1999, a combination single entitled “HOLD YOUR CORNER” was done with Radiation Band that began a long-standing relationship with Music Factory studio. For the Independence Celebrations that year a single was done on the Factory’s behalf called “Our Riddim”. In 2000, a track called “Millennium Bounce” was also done at the Factory. In 2001, collaboration with “Slaughter House” was established and the recording of “On Your Case” was done.                           

During the 2001 carnival season Jeoffrey had the privilege of working with the experienced superstars of Fitzroy Williams and Freddie Nicholas. He has also worked with the dynamic Michelle Henderson and Eric Bardouille and has performed with the now defunct EFEX band and on a few occasions with the super powers of Bouyon Music WCK.       

Jeoffrey now performs with the Raw Redeem International band for which he is very grateful.