Groova Scape brings a fresh, powerful vibe to their bluesy shows, which are always packed with fun and surprises.
World-class vocalist Brittany Sparks and veteran guitarist Henry Lazenby front this four-piece known for its startlingly good original tunes and the ability to rev up covers of everything from Sound Tribe/Sector 9 to the Beatles and Howlin' Wolf.
When Sparks turns loose those pipes, audiences sit up and take notice, then howl for more.
Driving the vibe for Groova's unique arrangements are the singular guitar play of Henry Lazenby and the spot-on drumming of Cody Kesling. Another treat are the words of lyricist Marcus Morris, who has written a host of songs with Lazenby, including, "The Revolution": "The sun catches fire in the eastern sky. You sailors be warned, for this tide will rise."
"Those guys have written some truly great songs," says longtime promoter and music scene guru Gary Jackson.
All of it adds up to a festival-tested band that is ready to move to the next level after six years and hundreds of shows worth of seasoning on the stages of Virginia, the Carolinas, Maryland and West Virginia.
The products of that experience are blues/rock arrangements that conjure up all sorts of jazzy, funky surprises. Groova simply knows how to find the righteous groove every single night, and they'll do it without assaulting your ears or insulting your intelligence.
"These guys are unbelievably creative," said Hash, the bassist for Thievery Corporation, after rocking through a 30-minute jam with Groova Scape in 2008. Michael Travis of String Cheese/EOTO said similar things after jamming with Groova later that April. "I had a lot of fun," Travis, who said he had never before jammed with an opening act, told Groova Scape afterwards. "It was awesome." Saying he was inspired by Groova's warm-up, Travis jumped in and smoked through one of Groova's jams, Power Down, for the sweetest 15 minutes in the band's existence.
In recent years, Groova has opened for top acts such as Dave Matthews' sideman Tim Reynolds and TR3 (twice), for Zach Deputy; for EOTO; for RAQ, for Thievery Corporation, for Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band, for the Bridge, for U-Melt, for Basshound and numerous others.
Based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Groova Scape has drawn a strong international following over the internet with especially heavy regular listenership in California, Texas, and North Carolina, plus the United Kingdom and France. The band has made numerous appearances on regional television and traveled to make appearances in the prestigious Crozet Music Festival in Charlottesville, Culturefest and Pink Moon festivals in West Virginia, and the Day-Glo Music Festival in North Carolina, among others.
