LX Edition

Groove Corporation @ StoneWalls

2011-01-14T10:42:00.002-05:00

Hi Folks,

Haven't posted for a while but wanted to let you know that Groove Corporation will be at StoneWall's Friday January 21. Roughly a 9:30 or 9:45 start. We have been woodshedding and rehearsing over the holidays and have got some new tunes for you to hear.

Stonewalls Restaurant/Sports Bar

Friday, January 21st, 2011 - 9:30pm

339 York Blvd, Hamilton, ON L8R 3K5
Phone: 905.577.0808 • Fax: 905.577.0807

GROOVE CORPORATION RELEASES VIDEO FOR "BLIND MAN WITH A CIGARETTE"

2010-04-12T08:01:00.004-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR8txSWAZTs

Golden Horseshoe-based blues/funk/r' n'b/soul group Groove Corporation proudly releases their first video to support the song "Blind Man with a Cigarette" from their debut CD "Record Prophets".
The song is danceable funky blues in style, with lyrics that constitute a warning from a caring friend about living a reckless life with no regard to who gets hurt, like a "blind man with a cigarette", or a "mad bull in a china shop".
Beautifully filmed in natural light by Kevin Staye (Left of Normal Productions) , in the very same space the album was recorded (bassist Steve Hilbert's historic stone home in downtown Hamilton ), the video captures the joy this band feels when they perform together.
Groovecorp has kept busy over the winter months and economic downturn by writing material for their next CD, and filming the video for "Blind Man with a Cigarette". They also garnered two Hamilton Music Award nominations, one for Blues Recording of the Year, and Lily Sazz for Keyboard Player of the Year.
The CD Record Prophets is available through CD Baby, iTunes, and other online sources. Watch for Groove Corporation at the Beaches Jazz Festival (Toronto), the Corktown (Hamilton), Brando's (Brantford), and lots more to come.
For More Information: http://www.groovecorporation.com/

Groove Corporation Nominated for Two Hamilton Music Awards

2009-10-17T20:05:00.016-05:00

Groove Corporation nominated for two Hamilton Music Awards! Below is the current press release and a comment from moi!

Groove Corporation is very happy to announce that the band has been nominated for two Hamilton Music Awards. Their debut CD "Record Prophets" garnered a nomination for "Blues Recording of the Year", and in the Piano /Keyboard Player of the Year category, Lily Sazz received a nomination. The Hamilton Music Awards will be held at the McIntyre Theatre on Sunday, December 6th.

The HMA nominations announcement comes hot on the heels after the band's recent news of signing with European promoter Peter Holmstedt of Hemifrån, based in Sweden, whose company will be promoting, marketing, and representing Groove Corporation throughout all of Europe.

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As the Principal Producer of this album I am very pleased with the nomination for "Blues Recording of the Year". I also send my congratulations to our keyboard player Lily Sazz, for her nomination as "Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year".

We worked hard on this album! A lot of sweat and hours to make a record that has the element and feeling of the band playing "live", or as our European representative, Peter Holmstedt says:

"It is really great to hear an album where the songs, the performance, the overall feeling, really creates a "picture" for the listener."

I want to mention my co-producer and engineer Ian Nielsen who put in many hours and over 300 Tim Horton's coffees' to achieve this recording. lol

Thanks Ian, and enjoy the nomination!

Please Support Independent Music...

2009-09-16T10:11:00.007-05:00

Kim C and LX

We had a great day shooting the video! Keven and video crew were awesome to work with and the band had a wonderful time hamming it up throughout the shoot. I'll post more when I have more, but this and the shots below will give you an idea of what Groove Corporation has been up too! You can get more information and sample some tracks at:

www.cdbaby.com/cd/groovecorp

Video Shoot Pics...

2009-09-16T10:02:00.006-05:00

Cole gets heavy with the "Bari"

Lil rocks the "Heinzman"

Kim C givin' it up...

Video Shoot Groove Corporation

2009-09-16T09:57:00.002-05:00

Video shoot...Guitar solo for "Blind Man..."

Getting Ready To Shoot the New Video

2009-09-08T12:34:00.003-05:00

Inside photo page from the Groove Corporation CD "Record Prophets"

We are just getting ready to shoot the new Groove Corporation video this Saturday. The tune is an original called "Blind Man with a Cigarette" written by Lily, LX, and Kim. The song is from the new "Record Prophets" CD. We are shooting the video in the same location as the images above. We are all looking forward to having a lot of fun recording this video. I'll update when we have something to look at! Tunes at www.myspace.com/groovecorporation and easy album purchase at www.cdbaby.com/cd/groovecorp

Groove Corporation at the Corktown

2009-08-19T08:32:00.003-05:00

Saturday, August 22nd 2009 10 p.m. ($10 cover)

175 Young StreetHamilton, ON L8N 1V7(905) 572-9242

We are back for another go around at our favourite Hamilton haunt, The Corktown! Great food! Great friends! And plenty of room to dance. Let's go!
Young Street is off James Street South, before you get to St. Joe's. Just turn left (East) on Young from James as you travel South, and follow it down. Easy! (If you're coming from the east, just follow King St, turn left on Walnut, and left on Young)

Groove Corporation at The Burlington Jazz & Blues Festival

2009-07-17T08:53:00.003-05:00

Groove Corporation plays the Burlington Jazz and Blues Festival tonight!!

I'm looking forward to playing the festival tonight. Show is at 7 until 8:30. Hope to see you there.

Groove Corporation at The Burlington Jazz & Blues Festival

2009-06-22T08:08:00.006-05:00

Groove Corporation plays The Burlington Jazz and Blues Festival

in support of our new CD, "Record Prophets".

We, Groove Corporation, are pleased and honoured to be playing The Burlington Jazz and Blues Festival at the majestic Spencer Smith Park in downtown Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Showtime is: Friday July 17, 7:00 - 8:30pm on the main stage. Please come out and support the band. This is a free outdoor event.

Groove Corp CD Release @ The Silver Dollar

2009-05-27T21:54:00.003-05:00

Silver Dollar Room
Toronto's Premier Blues Club
GROOVE CORPORATION'S TORONTO CD RELEASE PARTY
SATURDAY MAY 30TH, 2009
We are proud to present Groove Corporation's Toronto CD Release at the legendary Silver Dollar Room.
Specials Guests: Snake Oil Johnson
Showtimes:
Snake Oil Johnson 8pm-9pm

Groove Corporation 9:30-10:30
Doors open at 6pm. Dinner reservations are accepted. Cover Charge $12
The Silver Dollar Room is located on the Northern edge of Chinatown in Downtown Toronto at 486 Spadina Avenue, just north of College Street. Details directions, map, parking tips, and even a tour of the club are all available at their website: www.silverdollarroom.com

CD Baby Has Arrived!!

2009-04-11T21:40:00.003-05:00

The brand new Groove Corporation Cd entitled "Record Prophets" is now available at CD Baby.

http://cdbaby.com/cd/groovecorp

Groove Corporation CD Release Event

2009-04-11T20:50:00.015-05:00

This is Groove Corporations favorite place to play in the Hammer. The Corktown is very much like "The Horseshoe" in Toronto, "The Yale" in Vancouver, or "Tipitina's" in New Orleans, where I've played with Crowbar and King Biscuit Boy. The stage is big, the people rock, and the sight lines are great!

A few pics from the Groove Corporation CD release party.

Album will soon be available on CD Baby.

A big "Thank You" to our fans who made the evening an unbeliveable event and a sold out venue for our CD release.

2009-04-11T20:29:00.002-05:00

L to R: Rob, Pete, LX, Cole, Kim

Groove Corporation CD release party at the Corktown in the Hammer! (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)

What a great evening!

The house was rockin', the press was talkin', and we were groovin' with all our might.

People dancin' and romancin' and the band was playin' tight!

2009-03-19T21:30:00.002-05:00

The cover for "Record Prophets" the new Groove Corporation CD

New Groove Corporation CD

2009-03-19T20:36:00.011-05:00

Nick Blagona (The Master of Mastering) and Ian Neilson

Photo: Blackberry Lil

Well...it has been a while since I've been posting. Why... you might ask? We've been completing the new Groove Corporation CD. Above is the album being mastered by Nick Blagona, (just Goggle his name, I dare you...) a really great guy who stepped in to give us a hand with his advice and expertise as a master of mastering. Mastering is the process of taking the individual tracks from the album and laying them out in the proper order, equalizing, smoothing and adding the magic dust that belongs to the masters of mastering. It is a skill few have and those that do it well, such as Nick, are a very valuable asset to the production of any album. He had just returned to the Hammer after working with Alexisonfire in Vancouver, so much thanks to Nick for being there in the "nick" of time for us. (Sorry...couldn't resist that...lol)

Groove Corporation will be holding our CD release party in the Hammer (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) at the Corktown, one of our favorite places to play. If you happen to be in the area, it is April 4th. Directions and all pertinent information is at http://www.groovecorporation.com/ under our Calendar link. We are having a great time with our first Groove Corp album and are looking forward already to making the next one. More info to come...

At The Bottom of Each Page

2008-07-23T16:35:00.005-05:00

Round Lake

There is now a slideshow of paintings at the bottom of each page. Please feel free to scroll down there and have a look. You can stop the slideshow at any time by clicking on the middle button that appears when you put your mouse pointer over the painting. Click again and the paintings continue. Thanks for stopping by......

2008-07-21T10:02:00.002-05:00

July 12, 2008

GROOVE CORPORATION CHOSEN AS ONE OF SIX FINALISTS IN TORONTO BLUES SOCIETY TALENT SEARCH

Groove Corporation will perform on Thursday, August 14th, live in Toronto at Nathan Phillips Square before a panel of judges as one of six finalists in the Toronto Blues Society Talent Search.
Now in its thirteenth year, this event has proved a launching pad for outstanding emerging talent - previous winners include JUNO and Maple Blues Award nominee the Rockin' Highliners, New Artist of the Year nominees Jake and the Blue Midnights, and Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards winners, the Ronnie Douglas Blues Band, CBC/Galaxie Rising Star David Rotundo, and Maple Blues Award nominees Wickens-Knight.

Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaThursday, August 14th (Noon until 2pm)

Sandy MacDougall and the Gretsch

2008-06-04T09:00:00.002-05:00

Sandy MacDougall

In the last post I was talking about how I was amazed at the playing of Domenic Troiano. This post is similar and gives credit to another amazing guitarist. The picture above is of my Dad, Sandy MacDougall. He played through the 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. He was a humble, kind, and gentle man whose style was the Travis/Atkins (Merle Travis/Chet Atkins) style. The guitar in the picture is an original Gretsch Chet Atkins model that came out at the beginning of the 60’s.

My Dad’s playing was finger style with a thumb pick. He was an incredible player whose understanding of chord structure, melody, and rhythm went far beyond anyone in the area and he became a well known and sot-after player in Atlantic Canada and in later years an outstanding guitar teacher. He played most every day and I grew up listening to a player who played on the level of a Chet Atkins with much of his own developed approach intertwined with the Travis/Atkins style. My technique developed as a single note approach with a flat pick and claw style of finger picking. He helped me in the early years understand how chord structure worked and how rhythm combined with chord structure worked behind someone such as a singer, or a sax player taking a solo.

I remember many evenings listening and watching him play and develop his skills. At the time I really didn’t understand just how good a player he was. It was just my Dad playing his “stuff” and I was all charged up playing and listening to Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, Electric Flag, and into the mid to late sixties sound. It wasn’t until I was out playing professionally myself for many years that I began to understand the depth of his playing and musical knowledge. I’m listening to Hendrix, Clapton, Bloomfield and telling him how good these guys are and he’s saying “Oh, you like that? You should check out BB, Albert, and Freddy King, Buddy Guy, and Muddy Waters because that is where these guys are getting their “stuff” from.” That was great advice and started my journey into the Blues and R&B world which has lasted a lifetime.

We had many jam sessions at our house with players from all over dropping in to play with, and learn from him. I was always allowed to hang out and listen, and the odd time allowed to sit in. Most of these players played way above my level at the time, and they helped me learn, by fire, to play better. I thought with Father’s Day coming up soon that this would be a nice way to honour, and say a big “Thanks” to my Dad, for all the help he gave me to survive as a professional player in a competitive music world. The advice, love, and encouragement will never be forgotten.

LX and Domenic Troiano

2008-04-09T12:31:00.005-05:00

LX and Domenic Troiano

This is another of my favorite pictures from my collection. Domenic Troiano is one of the guitarists I have marveled at for years. You will hear a lot of his style in my own playing. I still play his records and am in awe of his style, feel, and execution on his instrument. He was a local Toronto player who influenced many guitarists not only in Canada but around the world. Stints with The Guess Who, James Gang, Mandela, and Bush among others brought him into the world wide public eye but never gave him an oversized ego or big head. It was always about the music.

I was fortunate enough to have played with him at a session arranged by another friend, Prakash John. We played at The Level Crossing on Yonge Street and I was as nervous as a person could be just to be on the stage with a guitarist that I held in such high esteem. We played several tunes together and he was nothing short of kind, generous, and a real gentleman. Afterwards, I must have bent his ear for about two hours getting information on his viewpoint on playing, attitude towards life as a working musician, work ethic, and many other areas that became staples for me in my own career.

Many years later I met up with him again when I was playing at Albert’s Hall with Harrison Kennedy and the Rockin’ Hurricanes. I had the chance to thank him for the great influence and advice that he had given me many years before. He gave me one of the nicest compliments I have ever received. He said, “You must have been listening to what I told you, because you are sounding really great!” He then chuckled and said, “Not everyone listens to me you know!” I, for one, am a better player and have a better work ethic because I tried to listen and learn from a master guitarist.

Unfortunately, he passed away in May of 2005 after a lengthy battle with cancer. His energy and zest for music and in particular guitar will be sorely missed by all.

More Recording Pics

2008-02-12T15:12:00.001-05:00

Frank's in the house

Some of Steve's bass gear

Lily's Keyboard Setup

Recording Console and computer rig

Getting things setup

Waiting for Columbus lol
(L to R: Steve, Lily, Pete)

Waiting to get stuff set up, cables, mikes, getting the "sounds" together. I'll have more pics the next time we do this. Groove Corporation has been nonminated again for the London Music Awards "Best Blues/R&B Band". I'll post more about that soon.

Some Recording Shots

2008-02-12T14:48:00.002-05:00

My Guitar (Old Fender Strat)

Frank's left handed drum kit

My Gear - Fender Guitar Amp and Ibenez Effects Rack

Bringin' in The Horns

Recording setup

We (Groove Corporation) have started the recording process that will lead us to a CD that should be available around the May start to the summer festival season. I hope you enjoy the pics. The start of our recording process happened at our bass player Steve's house. This "house" was formerly a small church and has incredible acoustics with lots of stone, wood, and lots of ceiling height. The recording engineer is our good friend Ian Nielson who is working hard to take care of our recording needs. I'll have a few more pics for the next post.

The Time Between Night and Day

2008-02-12T14:39:00.000-05:00

The Time Between Night and Day

We are experiencing some very cold weather at this time. Temperature is around -30C. Not going anywhere anytime soon! lol

Stevie Ray Vaughan...A Moment In Time...

2007-11-29T11:16:00.001-05:00

( Stevie Ray Vaughan and LX )

Here is a photo that I am grateful to have. Around the early to mid 80’s we, (Crowbar and King Biscuit Boy), played a show at the now defunct Roller Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. On that same show was an up and coming guitar player/singer named Stevie Ray Vaughan. His music was catching on like crazy in the blues community and I was already a massive fan and trying to find out as much as possible about him at that time before this opportunity came about. As Rod Serling would say… “Imagine, if you will, a guitarist sitting at home by the record player, lifting licks and phrases by one of his guitar heros, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and then getting a call that he will be playing on a show with the said Mr. Vaughan…welcome to the Twilight Zone…” lol

Needless to say I was thrilled and went to the show very early with the hope of just getting to meet Stevie Ray. Well…I got way more than I had bargained for. Not only did I get to meet him, I got time to sit and talk and play for a bit. For those that aren’t aware, there is in general, a lot of time spent waiting around when doing a show. Waiting for your gear to get set up, sound and light people to do their “thang”, sound check, and various other delays and/or problems to be solved before a show. Playing the show is often the shortest part of being there. Anyway…to continue…we sat in the dressing room and talked about everything blues and I bugged him to show me some of the licks and phrases I had been working on at home. He was very gracious and I got to play # 1, the Stratocaster that he used the most, and did enjoy every single second of it. It was of course, over way too soon, and he was on to a well earned and deserved fame as one of the most influential guitarist of our time.

Since that time I have read and found out much about Stevie Ray. I still follow the tribute websites and try to procure recordings, photos, etc. I have been a fan since I heard the first note. Nothing will ever change that. I wanted everyone to know that Stevie Ray was really kind to me, took the time to show me a few things without acting like I was a bother to him, and made me feel like a “comrade in arms” as one guitar player to another. I have always, and will always be grateful for that. Thanks Stevie, wherever you are, for a moment in time, some encouraging words, some licks and phrases played the right way, and a lifelong memory.

I’ll end this with part of a quote from Eric Clapton, another guitar hero that I’d like to meet one day…

“It's going to be a long time before anyone that brilliant will come along again. One of the purist channels I've ever seen, where everything he sang and played flowed straight down from heaven. Almost like one of those mystic Sufi guys with one finger pointing up and one finger down. That's what it was like to listen to.”

I couldn't agree more...

Paintings I no longer have

2007-10-02T14:15:00.000-05:00

MoonDance

Another painting I no longer have. This is really, really the last painting I'll post from this series! lol
Thanks everyone for the kind words and I am happy that you enjoyed the series.

Track of the Week

2007-09-19T08:14:00.001-05:00

"The Bopper"

wins Track of the Week at Garageband Records

starting September 24th

As it says above, the track "The Bopper" from the album "LX" will be featured for one week on the main page of Garageband Records. This means that millions of web surfers worldwide will hear the tune for a solid week. I am having a great deal of fun with this site and am getting interest and comments from all over the world.

Just click on the "Track of the Week" logo above to go to the site for a listen if you like.

This is the Garageband quote:

"LX1's song, "The Bopper" will be featured as GarageBand.com's Instrumental Rock Track of the Week starting Monday, the 24th of September, 2007. Only 52 Instrumental Rock songs receive this award each year. "

Paintings I no longer have

2007-09-11T09:50:00.000-05:00

Nova Scotia Backwoods

I hope you have enjoyed this series.

Paintings I no longer have

2007-09-11T09:41:00.001-05:00

Green River

Here are two more paintings that I no longer have. (Private Collections) That concludes the end of this series, although there are a number of other paintings I could put up, but I figure this is enough for now. I'll be going through more boxes of memorabilia looking for other interesting things from the past as well as keeping you up to date on Groove Corporation. We are just in the writing phase of the first Groove Corp album. As we go along I'll have pictures from the studio during the recording of the album.

Thanks for tuning in, check back soon, and I'll be adding more as time goes by.

Summertime (con't)

2007-09-10T14:34:00.001-05:00