Words by Stewie Finn Passemore

I've only been to the PRSC Studio's a couple of times, but on Wednesday 19th April we blew the roof off! Most of Bristol will remember that night for a very long time. I have a brand new out look on my own life since being apart of a community of makers and doers who see strength in numbers and challenge all obstacles. Much like the young man who we paid tribute to in a show of friends and family for a final farewell and The last IMMIGRANT JAMMs that started in The Rope Walk. But for those of us who remembered the first Immigrant Jams then you'll always remember how it brought many of our local musicians together and new friendships were forged and the music was an entire spectrum of styles and sometimes we even got a little too wild!

Raphaël Dufresne was a true friend to everyone he laid eyes on. Everyone who met him had a special bond that was all different from the next. I have so many memories of Rapha and they all involve him doing or making something, after meeting Chris and Tony from PRSC where Rapha spent many hours drilling, painting, wiring, putting port windows on 'the Van' you name it those guys did it!

The jam at the PRSC Space was really a testament to how popular and loved Rapha was, with his smiling face in hundreds of photos and by night everyone had gathered on mass to bare witness to his wake. The sound was killer, I did have lots of people telling me what I had to do and what was wrong and I used all my Rapha training to take each piece of advice as useful information to make sure everything went smoothly. I was after all the only one who knew who's mic was who's and which amp was going where since I set it all up in a very logical system that only made sense to me! But I'm getting pretty good at this stuff and the band were jumping. there weren't many dry eyes in the room as we heard Switch and Mao mc with the Jazz bands and swing bands all mixing it up no one wanted it to ever end.

Rapha's father only said a few words that was just the kind of positive spin that Rapha was renowned for always doing. He said "We lost a Son and a Brother, but we have gained all of you."

The grand finale of the night after several encores was watching past and present members  of Immigrant Swing gently reminded us 'not to take things for granted' 

I could talk about Rapha forever and I hope that people do because he left such a void in all of us, that I still find it hard sometimes to cope, but by talking about him and remembering him helps. I got to have a last look in his Studio and you could feel his energy in that room with his guitar charts on the wall and all his to do list all in strips and blue tacked to the wall, the kick drum he made out of a snare and suitcase, his note pads and guitars and equipment. Rapha did have a lot of music recordings and Mao and his band no doubt will be on a mission to make those recording into an album on record for all of us to buy and own forever.