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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PLEASE CIRCULATE
June 21, 2007
GROOVE CORPORATION WINS LONDON MUSIC AWARD
Golden Horseshoe-based funky groove outfit Groove Corporation brought home the trophy for "most popular blues/r'n'b group" at last night's 5th Annual London Music Awards. Among the other excellent nominees were a band called "Groovebone", who performed at the prestigious Wolf Performance Hall ceremony in London, Ontario.
"We were shocked when we heard 'corporation' and not 'bone' after the 'groove' as they announced the winners. They were a great band, too, and we're quite honoured to get this award, and grateful to the people who voted for us."
Representing
the band at the awards were Hamilton's Alex MacDougall (Crowbar,
Trailblazers, Harrison Kennedy and the Rockin' Hurricanes), Lily Sazz
(Trailblazers, Women's Blues Revue), and London's own Cole G. Benjamin,
whose efforts raising the band's profile in his home town really paid
off.
Groove Corporation will be headlining the Canada Day Celebrations for the City of London on Friday, June 29th at 9pm at Ivey Park in the downtown of the forest city.
For more information about Groove Corporation,
Lily Sazz c/o Groove Corporation
mailroom@groovecorporation.com
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The Toronto Blues Society is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Women's Blues Revue with an amazing compilation CD of the CBC recordings that were made of the show over the years. Lily was the musical director and keyboard player for all of these tracks.
The CD includes 15 stellar tracks, including vocalists Rita Chiarelli, Roxanne Potvin, Alana Bridgewater, Diana Braithwaite, Sue Foley, Georgette Fry, Divine Brown, Ellen McIlwaine, Molly Johnson, Jackie Richardson, Lee Aaron, Suzie Vinnick, Suzie McNeil, Serena Ryder, and Dawn Tyler Watson. All backed by an all-star band of amazing female players.
To purchase this CD online through the Toronto Blues Society, click here. It's also available in Hamilton at Picks and Strings on Locke Street.
Low resolution (72 dpi) promo shot:
For high resolution (360 dpi) version of promo shot above, click here.
Keyboard player Lily Sazz has been a professional musician since 1985. She has been the musical director and keyboard player for the highly-acclaimed Toronto Blues Society Women’s Blues Revue for 10 years, an event which has grown from grass roots to full concert theatre sold-out crowds, and co-presented by CBC Radio's Saturday Night Blues. Lily has shared the stage and recorded with a who's who of Canadian performers and is active on several committees, including the Juno advisory committee for blues, and is a long-time member Toronto Blues Society Musicians Advisory Council. She currently performs regularly with award-winning funk groove r'n'b band Groove Corporation. Lily was also the bandleader of The Queen Bees, who formed the backup band for several high-profile artists, including Paul Shaffer, Molly Johnson, Donnie Walsh, Haydain Neale (Jacksoul), Tom Wilson (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings), and others.
Originally a classical musician and a graduate of the McMaster University honours music programme, keyboard player Lily Sazz has been a professional musician since 1985. For the last ten years, she has been the musical director and keyboard player for the highly-acclaimed Toronto Blues Society Women's Blues Revue, an event which has grown from grass roots clubs to full concert theatre sold-out crowds, and now Massey Hall. The event is co-presented by CBC Radio's Saturday Night Blues and Massey Hall. Lily has shared the stage with Shirley Eikhard, Sue Foley, Dianne Brooks, Molly Johnson, Rory Block, Lee Aaron, Liberty Silver, Mel Brown, Harrison Kennedy, Toby Lark, Georgette Fry, Rita Chiarelli, Daisy DeBolt, Jackie , Ellen McIllwaine, Lori Yates, Alberta Adams, Jani Lauzon, Penny Lang, Ray Materick, Crowbar with King Biscuit Boy, Carole Pope and many others. Her recording history reads similarly with extensive session work on her own projects as well as appearing as a guest with others. She has also worked as a personal piano coach for actress Bridget Fonda while filming the movie Camilla, which starred Jessica Tandy in her last role. Currently, Lily is performing regularly with award-winning funk groove r'n'b band Groove Corporation and singer/songwriter trio Hen Party. A recent career highlight was being the bandleader of The Queen Bees (members of the Women's Blues Revue band), who provided the backup for several high-profile artists, including Paul Shaffer, Molly Johnson, Donnie Walsh, Haydain Neale (Jacksoul), Tom Wilson (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings), and others.
Originally a classical musician (harpsichord and piano major), graduate of the McMaster University honours music program, student of world-renowned concert pianist Valerie Tryon, keyboard player Lily Sazz has been a professional musician since 1985. For the last ten years, she has been the musical director and keyboard player for the highly-acclaimed Toronto Blues Society Women’s Blues Revue, an event which has grown from grass roots to full concert theatre sold-out crowds, and finally, a successful annual event at Massey Hall. The event is co-presented by CBC Radio's Saturday Night Blues. and Massey Hall. A live CD compilation of performance highlights has recently been released.
In 2006, she was the bandleader for the Queen Bees (members of Women's Blues Revue), who were the backup band for a dozen major stars at the Canada's Walk of Fame "Rock the Walk" event, produced by Denise Donlon. Performers included Paul Shaffer (David Letterman Show), Molly Johnson, Donnie Walsh, Haydain Neale (Jacksoul), Tom Wilson (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings), Gerald Eaton aka Jarvis Church (The Philosopher Kings), Serena Ryder, Denzal Sinclair, Roy Kenner (Bush, Mandala), Robbie Lane (Robbie Lane and the Disciples), Donnie Walsh and Chuck Jackson (Downchild Blues Band), and others.
Lily has shared the stage with Shirley Eikhard, Sue Foley, Dianne Brooks, Molly Johnson, Rory Block, Lee Aaron, Liberty Silver, Mel Brown, Harrison Kennedy, Toby Lark, Georgette Fry, Rita Chiarelli, Daisy DeBolt, Jackie , Ellen McIllwaine, Lori Yates, Alberta Adams, Jani Lauzon, Penny Lang, Ray Materick, Crowbar with King Biscuit Boy, Carole Pope and many others. Her recording history reads similarly with extensive session work on her own projects as well as appearing as a guest with others. She has also worked as a personal piano coach for actress Bridget Fonda while filming the movie Camilla, which starred Jessica Tandy in her last role.
On occasion, Lily has played
with Blue Room (award winning rockin' blues band headed by renowned entertainment
lawyer Paul Sanderson), Sister Act (an all-star line-up of female musicians
performing R'n'B classics, and Trailblazers. Among the highlights, she
enjoyed performances with
Suzie Vinnick in Fredericton New Brunswick at the Harvest Jazz and Blues
Festival, along with Marg Stowe and Michelle Josef, which was included in
a live broadcast on CBC in the Maritimes. Currently, Lily is performing regularly with award-winning funk
groove r'n'b band
Groove
Corporation, singer-songwriter trio
Hen Party,
Rhythm and Bones,
Brian "Colorblind" Blain, and others. To request an interview, please send an email to mail@lilysazz.com.