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Stone Ranger :
Lead Vocals, Lead Guitarist, Producer
Heading up the band is songwriter, vocalist,
lead guitarist, and producer Stone Ranger. An accomplished
drummer and keyboard player, Stone started playing drums professionally
on recording sessions and tours throughout the Caribbean at
the precocious age of twelve. Nick named "Little Bird",
he moved to Paris as a teenager to play rock, zouk and jazz,
and scored a #1 hit throughout France and the Caribbean with
'Coce Dominique'. In Toronto, Stone played with such noted
Canadian artists as Salomey Bey, Denon jazz artist Jane Bunnett,
South African rock band A League of Nations and Brazillian
jazz artist Raphael Lima. His winning smile and musicianship
have also landed him in music videos with Corey Hart, One
Lazo and film productions, including Danielle Steel's 'A Perfect
Stranger'.
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Keith Evanson :
Bass & Vocals
Keith was born in the West Indies where from
his birth his environment was musical. His entire family sang
at religious gatherings weekly and Keith took part. His mother
also sang song by the Great Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.
The imprint of Jazz was in his soul.
Through the sixties Keith was impressed by
the accapella sessions his aunts, uncles and friends engaged
in daily. At the age of six he played the harmonica. At nine
years, he got together with some local youths in his neighbourhood
to play steel pans.
In 1969, he visited the United States and
fell in love with the electric bass. He migrated to Canada
in 1971 and musical influences such as Miles Davis, Wayne
Shorter, Grover Washington, Bob James, David Sanborn and Joe
Sample aided the launch of his musical career. At seventeen
he started to play professionally and now his endeavours span
over thirty years. He has travelled extensively in Canada,
United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the West
Indies and from these cultures gleaned a range of styles including
Jazz, Funk, Rock, Country, Latin, Calypso, Blues and Reggae.
“I’ve has the best teachers in the world.”
he said. His playing abilities are truly electrifying reaching
the heart and soul of his audiences.
Keith has played with a variety of Toronto
musicians such as Liberty Silver, Demo Cates, Muhtadi and
Carlton Vaughan. The latter he credits as teaching him extensively
about the fundamentals of Jazz. Keith is also quite an accomplished
vocalist, songwriter and producer. In 2000, Keith joined the
Reggae Cowboys and continues to write and produce. See evanson
presents for more about Keith.
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Click Masta Sync [Sync
Rabess] :
Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Algernon Delano Rabess aka clickmasta sync,
co-founder of the Reggae Cowboys, has been riding with the
posse since its inception. Hailing from the island of Dominica
in the Eastern Caribbean with Afro-Caribe creole roots, he
has been performing since high school. Musical influences
range from blues, jazz, r&b soul to rock’n roll
together with Caribbean music – calypso, reggae and
zouk. In the mid-seventies he toured with Mantra along with
drummer Sty, playing francophone Creole music in Dominica,
St. Lucia and the French Caribbean. This wordslinger, guitar
player, singer, poet, actor and writer is a true world playa
embodying generations of popular culture.
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Alex (Sty) Larocque :
Drummer, Singer, Songwriter, Producer
Alex (Sty) Larocque was born in the Caribbean
Island of Dominica. He is essentially a self-taught musician
who grew up in a musical household. His father (now deceased)
was a guitarist and his mentor. Sty’s father was his
wise and trusted advisor in his teenage years. Sty started
playing drums at age 12 and turned professional at age 16.
During his formative years he played in different bands, touring
extensively throughout the Caribbean.
Sty gained exposure doing radio and television
commercials during this time in the French Caribbean Islands.
From there, at approximately age 20, he recorded
his first song Peace Land on an album entitled Lucifer by
Fitzroy Williams which was well received in Europe and the
Caribbean. After joining Exile One (the creators of Cadence
music) he toured extensively throughout the Caribbean, Europe
and North America. Sty wrote We The Youth and recorded it
with Exile One. It received critical acclaim.
In 1980 Sty joined CBS recording artist,
rock diva Nina Hagen whose music included punk rock, heavy
metal, funk, hip-hop and reggae. They recorded and toured
extensively throughout the world for 5 years. He did a live
video, New York, New York at the famous Irving Plaza Concert
Hall in New York City which became a hit worldwide. Sty also
recorded an album entitled In Ecstasy with Nina Hagen. He
had opportunities to share the stage with The Stray Cats,
Simple Minds and Kim Wylde. During this time he recorded an
album with Roots of Exile in Paris which was also critically
acclaimed in Europe and the Caribbean. The group later toured
in Algeria, North Africa. Also, during this time Sty periodically
attended the Jazz Mobile of Harlem School of Music in New
York City.
Sty’s next musical project was with
Vernon Reid and Living Colour playing the club circuit in
New York City. Vernon continues to enjoy success as a world-renowned
guitarist in the jazz rock fusion and heavy metal circuit.
For the better part of the 80’s, Sty
worked with Street Wise Recording artist, Moja Nya in America.
Moja Nya’s major hit, Rise Up dominated the club and
college radio circuits in America and Europe. They played
and toured with world-renowned reggae bands, Steel Pulse,
Third World, Burning Spear, and the Wailers. They also took
a west African tour of Senegal with hip-hop artist, Doug E.
Fresh.
Sty also had the opportunity to perform live
with Chuck Berry.
After moving to Toronto, Canada in approximately
2000, John Hornack, Mike Butler, Michael Owen and Sty formed
the jazz rock fusion group All I See Is Red. They recorded
CDs, All I See Is Red (which was #1 on College Radio across
Canada and some American cities) and Terrorists Have Cut the
Power.
In 2003 Sty joined Reggae Cowboys as their lead drummer. They
have enjoyed and continue to enjoy successful tours in Canada
and America. Reggae Cowboys’ latest release, Pony Express
is now available in record stores and on the Web.
Sty’s versatility and adaptability
continue to be his strengths, often leading to rewarding opportunities
to play and record with various artists.
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