Raffa Dean

Raffa Sings "I'll Always Come Back To You" with Boncongonistas Live at Alfie's Pub in Queens University - Kingston, Ontario

As a constant showman and exemplar of progress and forward energy, our city has benefited hugely from the restless impetus of this Jamaican-born Canadian, a drummer, songwriter and singer. After a secret struggle with stomach cancer, he moved on from his earthly mission this on June 9th, 2014. At the end of a life of creating so much cheerful harmony and rhythm here in Toronto and around the world, the breadth of his loss is still unmeasurable. Humourist of the highest order, dancer, Ashanti, father, social critic, Rastaman, raconteur, historian, counselor, spirit guide, fashion icon, musicologist, ventriloquist (he could speak quietly to you from across a noisy room), herbologist, peaceful warrior, significant Canadian ambassador, singer and joueur de batterie. Consider the French word: batterie.

Born in Kingston, on the seventh of November, 1959 to a musician father, Keeble, and his wife Marlin, the family moved to Malton in 1975. he grew up among tightly focused musical friends of Jamaican background; he at first formed a dance group called United Soul with future reggae luminaries Roscoe, Devon and Chunky. The dedication and discipline of this outfit soon sparked an inspiration to play music. Everyone wanted to play the drums, but when they heard Raffa's style, each quietly decided to try some other instrument. His technical skills became so famous in the west end that he was called to Montreal at the age of seventeen to play drums for the crown prince of reggae, Dennis Brown.

Eventually, the great band Twentieth Century Rebels evolved from this scene, with Raf choosing to form a super-group, One Love, with Tony Campbell, O.J., Charles Sinclair, Bobby Ruglass and a young Michael McClarty. Touring Quebec during the years of Rene Levesque's leadership, when Canadian revolutionary thought was at its peak, the band's liberating reggae message galvanized the Quebecois.

The demands of the road life became too stressful, however, so Raf began to concentrate on local work in Toronto, backing visiting Jamaican artists with the bands Livestock and Hit Squad. In the mid-eighties, while nurturing Andru Branch's Halfway Tree project, he joined Boncongonistas. Originally formed to study African music, the band soon became a popular dance hall / hip hop attraction with the addition of Mister Metro, Devon Martin, Crash Morgan and putting Raffa on lead vocals.

He continued to answer the call of major Jamaican acts to perform worldwide. He was in Berlin in 1990, playing with Garry Lowe and The Itals, when the Berlin Wall came down. He brought in the nineties for CITY TV in sub-zero temperatures on New Year's Eve with Boncongonistas at Nathan Philips Square. His influence on the music of Big Sugar helped to make that band's reputation as the first successful reggae crossover band in Canada. When he opened for the Rolling Stones at Maple Leaf Gardens with them, he drew enthusiastic compliments from Charlie Watts for his intriguing command of both the reggae and blues rock idioms. He went on to found and collaborate with bands too numerous to mention, including Dubmatix, House Of David Gang, Dreamband, Resinators and most recently FreeDubStar.

As a friend and adviser to the community, he laid up many riches in Heaven, though very few here on earth. He always had an eye on the universal truths, practised humane judgement, reminded us of the context of our shared spiritual journey and quoted the profound teachings of His Majesty King Haile Selassie I, known as the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords and The Conquering Lion Of The Tribe of Judah aka Rastafari, and his musical disciples.

While staying loyal to his friends, his philosophy and his family, Raffa also lived through some extremely difficult days. Eviction, financial disappointments, including the heart-breaking loss of his son Sealand in 2010, and a debilitating injury in a hit and run accident. The rejection by many of his peers and the pain of his illness would have crippled the faith and powers of any lesser mortal. It is part of his legacy that he remained strong in performance and dignity until the end. I last heard him singing at the Cadillac Lounge in April the Delroy Wilson classic: "They're trying to conquer me / they never will conquer me."

At a funeral home too small to contain the throng, and at a glorious memorial tribute later that day at Daniels Spectrum in Regent Park, his neighbourhood and community gathered to play, sing and talk about the great talents and love that he exuded. Every major local performer of Canadian reggae from the last forty years was there.

While his memory is still fresh in our minds, let us turn to his finer thoughts and cherish his example so that we can continue to live upfully and strong, and carry his lessons forward into the future.  His legacy will live on through so many artists he touched over the years, including his younger brother Andrew White (aka Akoustix) who was a 2013 Juno Award nominee.He is survived by his partner, Karen, and two daughters, Jacquiline and Tihanni.Go in blessings my brother, Paul Anthony White, aka Raffa Dean.