R.S.B - Roots Stems and Branches - in the 1970's a group of students in high school in Dominica were caught in the throes of change: witnesses to a dynamic movement of political and cultural identity. As youths they sang the songs of independence in 1978, and on may 29, 1979 became aquainted with people's power. They grew to see themselves as products of that complex musical whole and in the early 1980's when Dominican musicians began moving out of the conservative environment of the new dispensation, their energies flared. With a few of the original musicians at home from whom to copy, they drew on memory, experience and their love for the kadans form, grouping to form what is known today as Roots, Stems and Branches.

       ALIVE            1985       
           BREAK LOSE       1987           
           REUNION          1988           
LEVEL VIBES      1990
WATCH YA         1991
KADANSE          1992
BIG TIME         1994
INCLINE JAM      1995

The band plays KADANS, REGGAE ZOUK, and sings about:
youth, identity, dance, Africa, freedom (rights), party, festival and kadans. RSB has played at the fete des artes in Martinique, in St. Martin, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe and backed up Dominica's Lady of song Ophelia in St. Lucia and Guadeloupe. In 1993, the group was nominated for the Caribbean Music Awards.

YEAR            COUNTRY                     PLACE/CLUB/EVENT

1992            TORONTO                     CARIBANA
                PHILADELPHIA                KATMANDU
                BOSTON                      CARNIVAL

1993            TORONTO                     CARIBANA
                NEW YORK                    LABOUR DAY
                BOSTON                      CARNIVAL
                LONDON                      DOUGIES INTERMESO

1994            TORONTO                     CARIBANA
                MIAMI                       CARNIVAL
                NEW YORK                    LABOUR DAY
                NEW JERSEY                  LABOUR DAY
                BOSTON                      CARNIVAL
                LONDON                      DOUGIES INTERMESO

1995            TORONTO                     CARIBANA
                NEW YORK                    LABOUR DAY
                MIAMI                       CARNIVAL

1996            TORONTO                     8TH ANNUAL JAZZ      
                                            FESTIVAL.

BAND MEMBERS:

GEORGE, FRANKIE JAHZ        -        DRUMMER, VOCALS - 

TERREL, DAVE                -        LYRICIST, BASS, KEYBOARD, VOCALS.      
                            
MATTHEW, KEITH MAXIS        -        TRUMPETER

POWELL, MAXIMIN ZEE         -        LYRICIST, VOCALS KEYBOARD, GUITAR      
                                   
JAMES, HARL 'KOFI'          -        ENGINEER, VOCALS, LYRICIST

 LESTRADE, LINDEN C.                 LYRICIST, VOCALS, KEYBOARDS,
 "SPRIGGLY"                          DRUM PROGRAMMING.

 POWELL, JOSEPH "JOE P"              LOGISTICS, PUBLICITY and COORDINATOR   
                                                           
 STEINBERG D. HENRY                  RESEARCH