The Savoys

Two Steps Forward, Another Back.

2009-02-10T23:24:00.003-07:00

The Savoys have had a trying past couple of years, and from what we've seen, this year isn't going to be any different.

It seems that 2009 is going to be another year of rebuilding, and reinvention, and as much as we like reinventing ourselves, it takes a lot of hard work and practice for us to get there.

Once again, the band is looking for places to play. We have a few bites, but we would rather not disclose any details until we have confirmation.

That being said, we are keeping busy. In an effort to wow potential club owners, the band is recording a demonstration CD. As of this week, the drums have been recorded, and the bass guitar tracks should be complete within a week. It is still early in the recording process, though I can already claim that (so far) it sounds fantastic, and has a really cool vibe. This will, in effect, will present exactly how we hear the band in our heads.

The CD will not be for sale. It is simply a promotional tool, though fans will be able to listen to select tracks on this website. The content will provide a cross-section of the band's musical styles, and will feature some of our best and most popular tracks.

I hope you all will enjoy the material when it is published on here. It will take time, but I hope to publish some anecdotes and some photos throughout the process.

2008-11-16T22:46:00.004-07:00

To those of you that came out on Friday night to enjoy the show........thank you,..thank you,.. thank you. We could not have asked for a better group of fans to party with!
The band was on fire on all cylinders and the crowd was right along for the ride,.... what a kick ass night!!!!!
For those of you that were hoping to catch the Saturday Night show............we apologize that the show was cancelled at the last minute for reasons beyond the band's control,
We found out late Friday night that we would be unable to play and did not have time to inform our faithful fans.......................for this we humbly apologize, and hope too see you very soon!

MA

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Back in the Saddle Again

2008-11-09T07:30:00.003-07:00

Hey gang!
Thanks for your patience, new info has been along time coming!

The Savoy's have done just one gig since summer so it's great to inform you of the upcoming gig at the Mainliner Pub (Nov. 14-15).

We'll be showcasing all the new (hoppin') material and the best of the old!
The band really has taken on a new flavour.

Hope to see you there.

Mark

"We're Putting the Band Back Together"

2008-07-21T10:25:00.005-06:00

It's been a very long time, but the Savoys have survived the departure of our guitar player, we've recruited a new bass player, and we've learned a whole pile of new tunes. It's taken over 6 months, but the band is ready to start gigging again.

On August 1 and 2, the "all-new" Savoy Blues Band will be performing at the Redcliff Hylton. The show will start at 9:30. As usual, there will be no cover charge.

We hope we can get the word out to all our fans -- especially those who have been with us since the very beginning. I know everyone will love the new sound of the band. So spread the word! The Savoys are back, and we mean business.

Just a Little Teaser

2008-05-12T13:17:00.004-06:00

Hello fans, It's been six months since the Savoys had a performance. As I mentioned earlier, we are in a major transition period, and we have been hard at work learning new material, and rehearsing with a new bass player.

If you want to see what this new lineup has to offer, we will be hosting the Mainliner Jam on Monday, May 12, 2008, at 9:00PM. This is a very limited-time engagement, as we fully expect we will be done playing our set before 10:00PM.

Mainliner Pub
505 North Railway Street SE
Medicine Hat

We do have a few dates we will be playing around town when Summer arrives; at this time though, we still have a lot of work to do. Until then, we hope to see you all at the Mainliner in a couple days.

Restructuring

2008-01-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

First of all, I'd like to take the opportunity to wish all our fans and readers a belated Happy New Year. The Savoy Blues Band have a whole lot of exciting new developments in the recent weeks, and we hope you all come out to see our new lineup in the coming months.

Due to the departure of BG, we have been hard at work, rebuilding this band from scratch. MA has kindly taken over the duties in the Guitar Department, and we have tentatively retained a bass player -- who shall remained unnamed at this time. Our trumpet player CL, has decided to spread his wings a little, and is trying his hands at keyboards -- in select numbers. The rest of us, well, are remaining in the same place.

Our musical material is getting an overhaul. Some of the material has met the axe, and had been dropped indefinitely. This is making way for new material, which will take the band in new directions, sonically. I am confident this material is going blow everyone away.

New members add new ideas, so much of the existing material is being rearranged, with different instrumentation, thus, new life is being breathed into old material. It is very exciting for us, and we can't wait to play to for you.

We expect to fully be ready in 1 months' time. Keep watching closely for future gig announcements.

A B.G. Farewell

2007-12-05T00:31:00.000-07:00

Well it seems as though we just got going again and we have to go through another major upheaval!
When we take the stage this weekend at the "Royal", it will be BG's last official gig with the band.
Other business commitments are begging his attention and he doesn't feel he can give the band the energy & time that it requires.
As someone personally benefiting from one of these ventures (Look for future posts on this and tung n' groove's blog about ELECTROGLIDE AMPS)I know I speak for all members when I say "Bill, you will be greatly missed".
Anyone out there that knows the Savoys from the band's long standing in "the Hat" might want to get out this weekend and wish Bill a fond farewell.
The Savoys will continue, but we all realize that this is the end of an era!
Thanks Bill for keeping the Blues alive and well in Southern Alberta!

We're Back!

2007-11-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

In less than 24 hours, the Savoy Blues Band begins gigging once again. This weekend's performance will take place at The Mainliner Pub, located on North Railway Street.

Next weekend, the band will be entertaining crowds at the Redcliff Hylton.

It's been something like six months since we gigged last. We are definitely excited to be playing again.

In addition, the tour dates on the sidebar are behaving erratically. I will do my best to fix it when I have an idea as how to accomplish it.

A Bientot

2007-04-09T22:36:00.000-06:00

We knew this day would come.

The Savoys are officially on vacation. Our performance at the Blue Turtle this weekend was a blast, as it is every time we have the opportunity to play there. The club was busy, and the crowd enthusiastic.

To take five months off gigging every year is bittersweet. It is very nice to have the extra time to relax and pursue other endeavors, but after a while, you miss the crowds, and you miss making music.

But taking the time off also fuels our desire to learn new material, and get back out in the clubs during the off-season. I speak for all of us when we say we can't wait to get back, playing our unique blend of old-school blues and funk.

In the meantime, you can fest your eyes on me at our last performance Saturday night, jamming on my "new" set of Canwood Drums.

See you all in September.

Another Stroke of [Bad] Luck

2007-04-05T18:01:00.000-06:00

Fate, as it seems, isn't shining too brightly on the Savoy Blues Band as of late. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we have been notified our performance tonight at the Silver Buckle, has been canceled. Furthermore, the management at the Mainliner Pub canceled our performance next weekend.

That means that only 2 shows remain before we take our annual summer hiatus, and those will take place tomorrow and Saturday at the Blue Turtle.

To say the last few months has been upsetting and frustrating amongst the band members would be an understatement. It felt like we barely got going in 2007, and now we must wait until fall before we can "reinvent ourselves" once again -- like that wasn't exactly what we did when MA joined our act not even nine months ago.

We hope to see as many of you as we can this weekend. We also look forward to seeing you in the fall. If you need your fix of live music over the course of the summer, you might want to catch Tung N' Groove, a Classic Rock band featuring 2 members of the Savoys.

See you sooner, rather than later.

Another Gig Cancelled

2007-03-28T22:49:00.000-06:00

Crud!

Sadly, the Savoys were put in a position where we had to cancel Friday's Gig at the Silver Buckle, due to illness.

Yeah, yeah, I've heard the cliche: The show must go on. Just not Friday.

We have a very busy Easter weekend, with performances at both the Silver Buckle and The Blue Turtle. All three nights will be a blast, and we hope you come along and party too.

Only Three Weeks Remain

2007-03-25T15:56:00.000-06:00

Until the Savoy Blues Band goes on it's yearly summer hiatus. That means if you need your fix of big band blues, time is running out to catch us!

Friday March 30, 2007 at The Silver Buckle, 9:30pm start
Thursday, April 3, 2007 at The Silver Buckle, 9:30pm start
Friday & Saturday April 4-5, 2007 at the Blue Turtle, ~9:30pm start
Friday & Saturday April 11-12, 2007 at the Mainliner Pub, ~9:30pm start

We will return in the Fall, where we should have new material for all you fans. This year has been very productive for us; we managed to work in a new bass player, and replace a large selection of material that we lost when our female lead singer left the act at the same time. We now have a solid set of funk that's making everybody shake their booty.

We expect to pick up more blues, funk and even some ska for the fall, but I can only speculate as much as the next guy -- and I'm in the band!

We're Back

2007-03-18T13:30:00.000-06:00

I am pleased to inform all readers that the Savoy Blues Band have reunited, and will be returning to the stage this week!

Tour dates are posted on the calendar on the right sidebar. Click the calendar for more details.

This reunion is bittersweet; we only have about three weeks until the band goes on "Summer Vacation". That means you only have three weeks to get your fix of big-band blues. After that, sadly, you will have to wait until September, at the very least.

We will return in the fall with a bunch of new material.

Temporary Hiatus

2007-03-06T23:43:00.000-07:00

A family emergency has called our saxophone / harmonica player Orv out of the province for an indefinite period of time. Being the integral player he is for the Savoys, we had little choice but to cancel our out-of-town performance in Lethbridge this weekend. We will be monitoring the situation, and if the need be, we may have to cancel upcoming shows in the coming weeks.

As much as we love music and performing for our fans, our families always come first. Our thoughts and prayers are with Orv and his family at this time.

We will return to club near you as soon as possible.

With Love,

The Savoy Blues Band

Open Stage tobe held at the Blue Turtle This Tuesday

2007-02-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

Attention all Medicine Hat and area musicians:

The Blue Turtle will be hosting an open stage this Tuesday (that's tomorrow) at approximately 9:00pm. If you have a favorite instrument, guitar, harmonica, one-man-band, or didgeridoo, bring it along.

This is a great opportunity for all local musicians to get together, network, socialize, and make some music together, especially for those who haven't yet had the chance to perform at the Blue Turtle.

I only mention this, because at least two members of the Savoys will be there.

Don't forget, we will be playing at the Silver Buckle this Thursday. Check the calendar for more upcoming dates.

Monday night opener takes a "powder".

2007-01-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

OK. So a monday night gig may not have been the most favorable timing, (tuesday morning would suck), the news of The Powder Blues Band having to cancel their Medicine Hat show on Feb. 5 is something of a let down. Growing up in Vancouver and being involved in the music scene there in the 70's and 80's automatically makes me a huge fan of Tom Lavine's band. Oh heartbreak............... Maybe another day!

The new set and the time the band has put in are certainly starting to pay off. The sound is getting tighter every night and the patrons are giving us great feedback (thank you all). One of the things I've noticed lately is that we seem to be connecting to a younger audience without having to resort to modern techno or drum machine themes. (Hey, the kids CAN dance to a REAL drummer) It's encouraging to be making this kind of connection and tells us we've made some good music selections!

Hope we can get you dancin'.

The Experiment in Marketing

2007-01-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

How does one expand his or her fan base? This is an issue I have been wrestling with for several months, perhaps since I started playing with the Savoys. The problem is that around our neck of the woods "advertising" or promoting a gig consists of small letters on a marquee outside the club we are minding that weekend. This is appreciated, however it is not enough to get the word out.

Word of mouth is always the best advertising, but when you play bars, people sometimes forget important details, like the bands' name. I believe Orv has a list of email addresses of friends, family and a few fans which he alerts frequently to upcoming shows. This has always been a tried-and-true method of keeping in touch with your fans; I remember going to punk shows as a kid, and all the up-and-coming bands had a mailing list where you could add your name and address to the list, and you would get (if you were lucky) 2 newsletters per year from the band, or their management telling you what's been new and exciting in the band's career. This, of course, was before the days of email, websites, and blogs.

I particularly don't like the idea of a mailing list. People are more alarmed than ever about identity theft, and I don't like the idea of collecting all this personal information and (God forbid) somebody hacks into my system and takes all that information. The possibility of this happening, however remote, is very real.

This leaves fledging bands like us in a quagmire. If we can't go to our fans, how can they come to us? If we want a dedicated fanbase, we need to communicate with them frequently.

The answer is right here. But only for those who -- out of luck, or an undetermined period of web sleuthing would stumble onto this page. Furthermore, how do our fans even know that we exist on the world wide web?

So I decided to create a business card, something small, economical, expendable, that can sit at the tables and be large enough to attract attention, but small enough to not be a nuisance. Furthermore, if you win over a new table of fans, all they have to do is pocket the business card and take it home. I thought it was a great idea, and the rest of the band agreed.

The image at the top of this post is what I managed to put together over the course of yesterday afternoon. There are two imbedded images; the most obvious one is a photo of Orville's new saxophone, the other is a (heavily) faded image of the band on stage.

Over the next several weeks, I am going to continue this experiment, and see (a) if people take these cards in their possession, and (b) if this generates web traffic, and thusly, a larger fanbase. We should know the results by the end of April.

The Weekend Abstract

2007-01-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend marked the return of the Savoy Blues Band to the stage since December. Even though we haven't been gigging, we have certainly been busy, and I hope it was reflected in our performances. Since our last show we have added about 5 more songs to our repertoire: Looking Back, (Going Down to) Big Mary's, Sweet Soul Music, Hold On I'm Comin', and I am sure there are a few others that have eluded me.

The addition of all this material puts the Savoys in an interesting position; since the departure of BW and PW, we lost a lot of material, and has been subsequently replaced with a solid set of upbeat blues and funk that will make anyone want to shake their booty. This also means that the Savoys now have more material than can be performed on any given night. So, even though some of the less exciting material can be dropped from the roster, it is more likely that our music will enter a rotation, and every show will be different.

Overall, it was a successful weekend. The crowd was energetic, enthusiastic, and very supportive of our material. As or the band, after dusting off a few cobwebs at the Silver Buckle on Thursday, the band kept getting tighter and tighter, until Saturday, where everything was working like a well-oiled machine. I think this weekend was the best we have played since Mark joined the band.

In two weeks we will be entertaining the Folks at the Redcliff Hylton. Check the calendar for more info. We aim to have a few more songs ready for that show. If you can make it, we'd love to see you there.

Happy Holidays From The Savoy Blues Band

2006-12-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

On behalf of the band, I would like to wish everyone a merry and safe holiday season. This is the time of year that nobody should have the blues.

The band will be back for gigs in the New Year. We'd love to see you there. Dates will be posted on the calendar over the holidays.

Warmest wishes,

The Band

Recent News Clippings

2006-12-23T14:34:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are a few news clippings from the recent performance the Savoys had at the Blue Turtle. You may have to click on the images to enlarge them.

Jesse Zubot Featured on CBC

2006-12-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

You might find it strange that I am writing about another artist on this page, but for those who know a bit about us, will know that Juno Award Winner Jesse Zubot has close ties to the Savoys -- and I mean, very close ties.

The Savoy blues band were thrilled to have an opportunity to make music with Jesse in September at a private function in Kananaskis. What made this possible, is that Jesse's father, Orv, is an integral member of the Savoy Blues Band.

Jesse was featured on CBC today, discussing his music career, and his record label, Drip Audio, whose mandate is to provide a channel for the promotion and distribution of eclectic music.

The "big four" recording labels have spent the last two decades trying to squander every last penny out of the music industry, that there is little room for anything outside the norm. These labels don't even give their artists the leeway to make art for arts' sake. The popular music of today is hardly groundbreaking, featuring fashion and sex appeal over talent.

It seems more and more, that music artistry is a dying art, only available through word-of-mouth, DIY, and (very) small and independent labels.

I enjoy seeing people like Jesse, talented as they are, establishing niche markets for struggling (an starving) eclectic musicians who wish to create art that isn't pre-packaged, homogenized, beaten to death, boring, acceptable for ears of all ages, American Idol-esque, whole grain, non-trans-fats, crap that is crammed down our throats via television and radio. Instead, I am looking forward to seeing what artists Jesse Z. has on his roster. It might rekindle my faith in the recording industry.

Drink To Santa

2006-12-07T22:27:00.000-07:00

We received our first press appearance in the Medicine Hat News today! Our guitarist Bill was interviewed yesterday with respect to our upcoming performance at the Blue Turtle this weekend.

On Friday, December 8, the Savoy Blues Band are special guests at the Blue Turtle, 937 - 13th Street SW. As this is a fundraising event, there will be a cover charge of $5.00 per person at the door. All proceeds will be donated to the Santa Claus Fund. The entertainment begins at 9:00pm.

We are excited to be part of this evening gala. This is a perfect opportunity for locals to come out, support a good cause, and enjoy some local talent.

We will also being performing at the Blue Turtle on Saturday evening, however there will be no cover charge for Saturday's performance.

Hope to see many of you there!

Salutations

2006-11-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

Mark has been gracious enough to invite me to co-author on this blog with him. Online, I am referred to as MC Fro; an alter-ego I created for myself long ago. I think of it like being a superhero -- aside from my mundane day job, I become something else on the interweb, and on stage on weekends.

For those of you who do not know who I am, of my interests and passions, I invite you to visit my little corner of cyberspace: mcfro.blogspot.com. It's my filthy little hovel that is always a mess, and in a perpetual state of renovation. Enough about me; I have plenty of time to talk about myself on my own website.

Mark and I have been in discussions with what we want this site to be. We hope the other members of the band will join in and share their thoughts and experiences to you, the readers and fans. I know there are many of you out there; many people arrive at my personal site searching for information on the Savoys, and they are coming to my site from places as far away as Vancouver and Winnipeg, which is interesting to see, since the Savoys have only played one out-of-town gig in Kananaskis Country.

One other aspect Mark & I have agreed upon is the inclusion of a calendar of upcoming performances. One will arrive shortly, once we set up a Google Calendar service. Until then, you can view our upcoming performances here.

That's about it for now. Keep it groovy.

Initial Posting

2006-11-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

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

Set List

2005-09-01T22:06:00.004-06:00

As many blues artists cover their peers' material, it doesn't make much sense to cite the artists who originally wrote the song. Often, it is a cover artist whom has popularized the song. Therefore, the following list only cites the titles of the song.

This list will be updated periodically, when the band learns new material:

14 Dollars in The Bank
Bad, Bad Whiskey
Bad Dream
The Boogie Twist (pt 2)
Brick House
Boogie All Night Long
Bright Lights, Big City
Chicken
Crazy Mixed Up World
Diggin' On James Brown
Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
Goin' Away Baby
(Goin' Down To) Big Mary's
Hate To See You Go
Hey Bartender
Hold On I'm Comin'
Hoochie Koochie Man
I Got My Mojo Workin'
I Got You (I Feel Good)
I'm Your Vehicle
It's Too Late Brother
Just A Little Bit
Just Your Fool
Long Grey Mare
Looking Back
Lovestruck
Low Rider
Messin' With The Kid
Mustang Sally
My Babe
Out Of Sight
Pain In My Heart
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
Pick Up The Pieces
Sister Sadie
Something To Remember You By
Song For My Father
Soul Man
Stop Messin' Around
Superstition
Sweet Home Chicago
Sweet Soul Music
T-Bone Shuffle
Tiger Man
Trouble For Me
Walkin' By Myself
Wish You Would
You Better Watch Yourself
You Got Me