Rayman's Reggae with Rock, Country, Blues is a new sound

Listen to Rayman Here 

If you are looking for a distinct sound, rooted in reggae, Ray Rayman Yap, until recently known along with his band as The Yappers, fits the bill. While most similarly inclined artists using a reggae back beat tend to take a reggae beat and bring it to the punk rock side such as Ska bands, rarely is it taken to the rock or blues side and none bring it to the country side - something that always intrigued Rayman. 

Born of  Chinese parents raised in Jamaica, while he himself was mostly raised in California, going back and forth when young to his grandparents in Jamaica before eventually settling in  California long before coming to Toronto, Ontario, Canada where he left the music scene, returning as an original artist in 2013.

Rayman's musical bloodlines run true, influenced by his uncle Phil Chen, a Chinese-Jamaican Brit who was England's most used sessions bass player to all the big rock groups in the 70's and 80's including Jeff Beck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Marley, Pete Townsend,  Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart, playing on Hot Legs among others and is the current bass player for The Doors.

Getting prepared to play on the steps of Parliament April 20, 2018, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Uncle Phil was an early influence on Rayman providing him his first guitar at age 9 and encouraging him.Ray'd listen to records his uncle played on and attended his concerts. Meantime Ray's parents had always played reggae and a young Raymond Yap unknowingly had begun to soak up his future sound, as bands like The Police began to take foothold in his brain alongside other influences like The Specials and The Selector.The California music scene was also littered with country rock at the time adding to his music's influence and Rayman and his bands played some of the hippest clubs in Hollywood including "The Roxy' and " The Whiskey"aGogo before he was old enough to legally drink!

Debut CD

The Resurrection

It wasn't until after he had a wife and kids and had moved to the burbs in Aurora, Ontario, Canada where he self-taught himself how to mix and record his music that Ray really discovered "his own sound". And after finally sitting down and writing some lyrics to his songs and recording, while playing each track himself separately and then mixing it, he brought it his final product to an audio expert to get better sound but the guy was blown away.

"How did you get the bass to sound like that?" he'd asked, adding, "Buddy you don't understand. You have got your own sound here. You gotta get this out for people to hear."

Rayman now plays his solo gigs like that - he performs live but pre-records and lays down all his own backtracks to every song for seamless on-stage performing. Rayman's One Man Show is a simple set-up also for smaller venues up to 150 people and it adds the value of time saving - staff love that - while his state of the art sound equipment weighs a whopping 17 lbs! It also allows that the drums do not overwhelm which is often an issue in smaller venues.

A Broad Appeal

The Yappers form in 2013

Before going "live" Rayman first tested reaction to "his sound" online and through internet radio achieving raves from the Brits.

And now with dozens of "local" gigs under his belts at such Toronto hotspots as The Hard Rock Cafe, The Mod Club, The Opera House, Lees Palace, The El Mocambo, Rock Pile, Velvet Underground and as headliner in Ottawa at the steps of  Rideau Hall on 420 Day for the last 3 years, Rayman is growing a legion of followers - many from the university scene and the 18-45 age bracket and has been picked up for regular airplay on British radio. His band The Yappers are also well known in the medical marijuana circles and well respected and loved in the that fan base too although Rayman 's about the music. A typical show is composed of originals splashed with some covers done in Yap's own unique style.

Link To Music Video.

The sound is what is exciting to music fans and musicians alike - it's not everyday you hear a brand new sound!

And Now you can enjoy Rayman  on Face Book!

You can get more info about Rayman or to purchase the music or buy songs here or to book call TPEntertainment & Productions at 289-221-0928 or email tpeproductions@gmail.com.