Initial Posting

Well now, I guess I have to learn all this fancy dancy computer crap after all!

I'm Mark Ayley, bass player for the Savoy Blues Band working in and Around Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada and I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the band.

As I'm the new guy to this unit I hope I get all the details right, if not, look for corrections as soon as the guys chew me a new &%^$#!

Original members Orville Zubot (gifted) on Sax & harmonica & Bill Gill holding down guitar duties have been around forever (or so it would seem) playing standard blues format. I'm not sure how long Cam Has been with the band (kick ass trumpet & various noises & raps). Mike Bischke has been on the skins for just over a year now and I just came on board a couple of month's back.

For those folks out of the area, we play a fairly traditional blues set (mostly 50's, 60's 12 bar) in a small market area where people really don't seem to have a clue about great blues! Consequently, on the wrong night, we've become very adept at clearing a full room!

So now we get to the reason for this site.

We have introduced some more upbeat R&B and Funk material to the set with great results, all the while trying to stay reasonably close to our blues roots. Songs by the Blues Brothers (Soul Man, Everybody needs Somebody, Hey Bartender), Average White Band (Pick Up The Pieces), War (Low Rider), have had great results with our audience and we would like to hear others ideas for new material.

We are not a Rock Band and simply will not start doing the played to death ZZ Top or ACDC faux blues stuff, nor are we about to get into SRV etc. as there are local bands (check out the Hudec Bros.) that are doing a great job of that already, besides, with the killer horn section we have, we really want to exploit what makes us unique to this area.

We'd love to hear from other bands who deal with a love of Blues in a small market, and anyone who has suggestions for material that's fresh and addictive (see "groove").

Enough of my dribble for now, Thanks for checking this out and hope to see you at our show!

Hang on to the Groove
Mark