The original band underwent many changes before becoming the current tight
sizzling outfit touring the french blues circuit today.
Original members, veteran blues drummer Ray King, and bassist Fin Topham,
auditioned and replaced, multitudes of musicians in their quest for the best.
Ray toured Europe for many years with various bands, and is an ex session
player, teacher of percussion, music journalist and author, and the only
southerner in the band.
Fin (Ex Kingsnakes) sometimes known as 'the Oracle' also played bass with
Barclay Records band 'Les Witchdoctors' back in the sixties.
Guitar virtuoso Thibault (T.Bone) Alexandre joined the band in July 2006,
introduced by the well known avant garde sax player Jacques Roinet.
Thibault well known in Brittany for his time with the french band 'Shaman', is
an extraordinary guitarist with an exceptional technique, and is the only french
member.
The dynamic Calli Baker is a cross between Etta James and Connie Lush, and as
Slimjo from Docteur Blues magazine said, when seeing Bluesgroove for the first
time at the Belle Isle en Terre Blues festival - 'This little lady is dynamite'.
Calli also known for fronting 'Lynn et Les Witchdoctors' in France during the
sixties, had enormous success with singles and Eps for Barclay Records, and
appeared at L'Olympia, before leaving to tour the middle east.
Last member to join the Bluesgroove ranks, is the magical Pete Uttley on
keyboards, a veritable arranging wizard, with a wealth of gigging experience in
the UK and abroad, he was the missing link, bringing the band to it's natural
conclusion, adding to that funky, delta and texas influenced sound that is now
BLUESGROOVE!
These guys are veterans, they've been around a long time, kind of funky, rocky,
sometimes a bit jazzy, but still the blues, but with a groove!
