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Guitar Birth Date: January 2, 1974 Musical Inspirations: Bob Marley, The Marley Boyz (Ziggy, Stephen, JuJu, Ky-Mani, & Jr. Gong); Yellowman, Jamin "Chief Ragga" Wong; Pearl Jam & the "original" Guns N Roses; musicians from the Hawaiian Islands (too many to name) & all the reggae, roots, dub, and dancehall artists BIO: Raphael grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii, but his ethnic roots are Filipino. He would like to say "Aloha and Mabuhai to all of my family, relatives and friends". |
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Reggae music is very big in Hawaii and Raphael feels blessed to have spent his formative years listening to Yellowman, Alpha Blondy, and Bob Marley. As a high school senior Raphael's taste in music also extended into rock and alternative -- and when the Seattle music scene exploded into Grunge, it was there that he wanted to attend college. He went to Saint Martins College in Lacey Washington where he met Francis Cacalda and through Francis, Jeff Burdick. For about eight years he played Hawaiian Style Reggae with them in the Po'okela Street Band. He gives respect to all the musicians he has met and played with and urges them to "keep jamming and representing the Reggae vibe!" Currently Raphael feels blessed to be in Little Big Man who he feels are a wonderful bunch of guys and to be playing music in the Pacific Northwest. He says: "We, as Little Big Man strive to spread our music to further horizons. Thank you to everyone that has supported us and thank all of the people that have helped me learn and grow in music. It was music that brought me here."
One love, aloha and mabuhai!