Hybrid Groove
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Hybrid Groove

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"Twelve Bar Rag Local Spotlight"

“The Blues ain’t about feeling bad. It’s just about feeling,” says Amy Savage, powerhouse vocalist of Blues-rock band Hybrid Groove, quoting from their original song “Just About Feeling”. This expression has been the basis for the group’s powerful musical style whether it is a heart-wrenching ballad or a funky upbeat dance tune. The group strives to provide a fresh look to a style that has survived decades and influenced many. “We tend to get lost in our music,” Amy admits about their energetic performances. “We’re just having fun and hope it gets infectious.”

Born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Amy has been performing since early childhood. Her strongest musical influence came from her mother, Karen, who sang and played acoustic guitar in Country bands before giving up her musical career to raise Amy and her autistic brother, Daniel. Amy says that this sacrifice fuels her spirit to reach her audience through her music. She began in Gospel finding comfort in the genre's soulful and emotional arrangements. Amy remembers “being like 10 years old and coming up to sing my first solo in choir. Only to have them move the mic stand back about a foot from me in surprise after two notes. But soon I was getting solos all the time. Granted it was Wednesday nights ‘cause I was too rockin’ for the Sunday services.” It was not long after that she began to take interest into Soul, Classic-rock and most of all Blues. Turning away from formal vocal training, Amy is self schooled through experience, old fashioned practice, and as she puts it generous advice from vocalists she admires. Her belting vocal style follows the footsteps of Koko Taylor, Janis Joplin, and Tina Turner.

Hybrid Groove was formed in 2000 as a side acoustic project for Amy and guitarist/harmonica player Ken Lettich before growing into a five piece band. Ken grew up loving music equally coming from a musically gifted family on both his father's and mother's side. He began playing guitar at age 12 picking up the electric years later. This is in addition to the years he devoted to the harmonica. At the time, his job at Bethlehem Steel in Pennsylvania offered a generous amount of down time to balance out the painstaking work involved. And despite the mill's loud, harsh working conditions, Ken managed to hear the soulful sounds of his harp just enough to embrace it musically. Although his roots may have come from Country and Bluegrass styles, Ken followed the moving, unique sounds he saw in his Rock and Blues influences.

The duo has fronted Hybrid Groove, named for their eclectic mix of Blues, Rock and Funk, now for over seven years beginning in the Raleigh area of North Carolina before recently heading to St Petersburg, Florida to pursue sunshine, beaches, and the Blues community that thrives there. It was there they met up with seasoned guitarist "Cleanhead" Joe Buscema. Joe was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and grew up there for several years listening to a mixture of old-time Rock-n-Roll, 70's rock, and the Blues. At about age 9, he moved to St. Petersburg, Florida with his mother and father and around this time began to learn guitar from his father, George. By the age of 15, Joe was a self-sufficient player but wanted to learn more. This is where older brother and well known Cincinnati Blues man, “King” Phillip Buscema comes in. Phil and Joe were separated for many years but one thing always kept them close…the Blues. Joe began to ingest traditional Blues from Phil while incorporating his own style of southern-rock based blues guitar. The name “Clean-Head” was a name given to him by King Phillip after a night of great guitar playing or as he puts it a night of “cutting heads”. In addition to Blues, Joe has been a part of other rock acts including Smackhead and Circle to Circle. He has toured Europe and throughout the States.

Soon Hybrid Groove added diverse bassist, Chris Cousin. Although music and art have been major defining factors in his life since an early age, Jorge Christian Cousin didn't start playing an instrument until his early twenties. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana he grew up with a variety of influences in 70's funk and R&B styles like George Clinton (Parliament), Prince, Rick James, Earth Wind and Fire, as well as James Brown. Chris first found interest in the bass guitar as a listener. During concerts he found that he would analyze the bass player's parts in the music, following the bassist's hands while the rest of the audience was lost in the show. Chris is a self taught bassist using the inspiration of favored artists and then infusing his own style into the music. Chris has traveled all over the Midwest and California playing in several bands with a wide variety of styles including Reggae, Jazz, Blues, Hard-rock as well as Latin Salsa and Meringue. He feels that when it comes to music he has a never-ending desire to always learn something new. With that attitude, he has added rhythm guitar to his musical talents and even takes a pretty good turn on the drums.

To complete the band's unique sound, Hybrid Groove teamed up with dynamic drummer Jim Wegener. In early high school Jim was 1st chair solo trumpet player in the high school band, until he sat on a set of drums. After totally losing his lip and three drum lessons later, Jim found himself in a very popular area rock band. Many years later Jim went to Berklee College of Music looking to expand his musical knowledge. For the first time in his life he found himself at the top of a list instead of the usual bottom third. Hailing from East Rochester, NY, Jim spent most of his adult life around the Boston, MA area until recently moving to Florida. He has toured the East coast from Madawaska, ME to Jasper, AL. Having played with a variety of groups in many different venues has helped him develop a good feel and pulse for most musical styles.

Hybrid Groove is now working on their first full length CD release scheduled for the summer of 2008 titled “Just About Feeling”. SBS would like to invite you to catch them live Saturday February 2nd at 9pm at Gulfport on the Rocks, 5413 Shore Blvd S, Gulfport, FL 33707 (727-321-8318). You can also read more, see pictures, download music, and check their other show times at their website www.hybridgroove.com. “This ain’t your Mama’s Blues.”

(Jan/Feb 2008 edition) - Suncoast Blues Society


Discography

Just About Feeling 2008 - airplay available at WMNF 88.5 FM Tampa, FL. http://www.wmnf.org

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Bio

Hybrid Groove began in 2000 as just a side musical project for an army brat born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Amy Savage. Blues inspired and rock born, Amy sends an emotional explosion of music through to her audience. Matched in the group is fellow front person Ken Lettich, who could be growling out powerful guitar riffs or blowing a feel good harmonica solo depending on which he feels most passionate on at the moment. Ken has also been known to grab the microphone a time or two whether it be backing Amy or taking center stage. The duo has fronted Hybrid Groove now for over five years and played several varieties of venues in the Raleigh area of North Carolina before recently heading to St Petersburg, Florida to pursue sunshine, beaches, and the blues community that thrives there.

It was there they met up with seasoned guitarist Joe "Cleanhead" Buscema whose clean soulful sound complements Ken's style. Also the group added Chris Cousin, a diverse bassist who would complete the band's unique sound matched with a dynamic drummer, Jim Wegener. The band since has been based on rhythmic heart-wrenching blues renditions and originals presented in both gusty, in-your-face electric sets and more intimate, traditional acoustic sets. In this way they have been able to provide a fresh look to a style that has survived decades and influenced many.