Cheers!
Matt Storch
matt@thegroovekitchen.com

Thank you for taking the time to read “In The Groove”. Sometimes to get a true feel for a location it is better to hear what the patrons have to say. Below are two recent entries from the Groove Kitchen & Music Rooms online guestbook. We love the Groove Kitchen, after a week's work it's great to walk uptown and hear fantastic live music. Matt always has a handshake, and a friendly hello. Looking forward to the next visit. Brendan & MJ Hi Matt!!! Just wanted to say that it was great meeting you, and wanted to thank you for an AWESOME time last night!! So glad we decided to drop by! Service was excellent, food was deeelish and the entertainment was ammmaazzzing! Finally - somewhere in town where we can go and ENJOY dinner, while listening to some cool music , and taking in the awesome LOCAL TALENT!!! We'll definately be back! Cheers! Darla & Ken

With a reputation as one of the best singer-songwriters in the southwest of the UK, Max Cann has cut a CD of songs written by himself and his three brothers. "Opener", recorded in a small studio near Ottawa, has 15 life-affirming, truthful and thoughtful songs of melody and joy. And it’s his first solo CD after a career of more than 35 years. Cann began playing when he was 16, starting a folk-rock band with his brothers. He played it all - blues, Celtic, rock, pop, and big band swing. Guitar and bass. Bands, duos, solo. He played weddings, socials, and pubs in his native UK, and busked through Europe. Along the way, he got a nod from Bob Dylan in Switzerland, played the acoustic stage at Glastonbury every year for a decade, performed for Druids at midsummer sunrise in Stonehenge, and he and his brothers met the Bee Gees in Miami.

Oh, and he’s been an opener as well. For Maria Muldaur, Loudon Wainwright, Billy Bragg, Richard Thompson, and countless more. And, always, he tried to keep working. Succeeded, too. In short, Max Cann sings for his supper, and he’s pretty damned good at it. Visit: www.maxcann.com

'The Diary of a Suburban Diva Art Display' is but one facet of creator, Amber Long's, vision. Along with the visual art pieces on the walls of the Groove Kitchen for the month of April, Amber Long is also releasing a full length CD as well as a collection of mind snippits put to print in book form, under the name " The Diary of A Suburban Diva " which highlights many different avenues of human emotion and life experience. Uncensored and raw, all three vehicles of expression are laden in glam, sauciness mixed with an incredibly playful approach.

Don't miss Amber's live performance, CD and Book release on Thursday April 23rd! To celebrte the trinity's release, Amber Long will be performing at the Groove Kitchen on Thursday, April 23rd, at 8 PM with supporting artists, Opposite of Blue. This is a free show, come out and show your support and feast on the eye candy while you're there.

Jerry Johnson is a high energy Texas Blues guitar player with a CD nominated for Blues Recording Of the Year. More than just the ghost of Hendrix emanates from Jerry Johnson’s guitar. There has been an increased number of sightings in clubs in Southern Ontario of the ghost of Jimi Hendrix . Burlington’s Jerry Johnson, who was once known on stage as Jerry Hendrix, will be rockin’ The Groove Kitchen & Music Room on Saturday, April 25th. Don’t miss this high energy bluesman in this intimate environment. See you there ! Visit: www.jerryjohnson.com

Award winning and two time nominated comedian Doug Funk is now the host for the Friday night jam. Doug is a seasoned performer with a fresh and contagious style, whose entertainment background has molded him into one of the most funny, thought provoking and versatile comics in the country. He has four consecutive seasons on the comedy network, five seasons on the Global network, two appearances on the very successful Air Bud movies, countless TV commercials and hundreds of live performances in every nook and cranny across the country. It is our pleasure to have him in the groove. After a long week of work nothing feels better than a laugh, great food followed by some awesome live music by Matt Storch & The Usual Suspects. Every Friday, $5.00 cover charge after 9:00pm. To check out some of Doug’s hilarious antics search Doug Funk on youtube or visit his website at www.doug-funk.com

The Groove Kitchen & Music Room is proud to be sponsoring the “Harmonica Blues Experience” Tickets for the Harmonica Blues Experience, a unique performance/workshop featuring a few of Canada's leading blues singers and musicians are now available. The workshop element offers an interactive experience to engage renowned blues musicians and exchange information and ideas. Aspiring artists and blues fans will enjoy this engaging event that offers a very unique approach to music appreciation.” The Harmonica Blues Experience is slated for Monday, May 4th at 7:00 pm in the Toyota Auditorium, Cambridge Centre for the Arts. The event will be hosted by Mark Bird Stafford with special guest performances by Chris Jr. Malleck and Mike Elliott of Daddy Long Legs, recent recipients of the 2009 Maple Blues Award for Best New Artist; Mike Shrimp, Daddy Reid and Conor Gains, a young up and coming guitarist from Cambridge. Designed for partakers to develop a deeper appreciation for the arts in all its forms. An extra element for the Cambridge event is the offering of a licensed cash bar with a variety of Sleeman’s beer products. This is a program for the curious and the intellectual which mixes art, film, commentary and music in a relaxed, social atmosphere. Seating is limited to 100 blues fans. Tickets are only $5 and can be purchased a few ways: In person at The Centre for the Arts, 60 Dickson Street (cash, cheque, debit, credit) reserved by phone with credit card at 519.740.4681 ext. 4376 In person at The Groove Kitchen & Music Room, 656 King Street E. The Harmonica Blues Experience is sponsored by the Cambridge Arts Guild, The Grand River Blues Society, The Groove Kitchen & Music Room, and Sleeman Breweries. More information on Mark Bird Stafford can be found at www.markbirdstafford.com Event Contacts: Tamara Louks, Recreation Coordinator Cambridge Centre for the Arts 60 Dickson Street, Cambridge 519.740.4681 ext. 4565 Sophie McCann, Arts Coordinator Cambridge Centre for the Arts 60 Dickson Street, Cambridge 519.740.4681 ext. 4367

The Groove Kitchen & Music Room has not only become a popular place for locals but it has attracted some very interesting out of town guests as well. In the middle of 2008 , The Groove was contacted by production co-ordinator Linda Lockett who was working on a new Television series called “Goldmind”. After some brief scheduling issues the cast and crew of the show arrived in full gear to film an episode of the series, which features mentalist Hiam Goldenburg. GoldMind is a treasure trove of mind-bending and heart-bending experiences. This highly entertaining, half-hour series explores the mysterious connection mentalist Haim Goldenberg has with ordinary people. Each fast-paced episode features a series of extraordinary experiences, each more unbelievable than the last. Not content to merely thrill, Goldenberg transforms and inspires. He will change the way you think about the human mind. This particular series also features Frank Fitzgerald, keyboard player for the Groove’s house band, Matt Storch & The Usual Suspects. Frank has been blind since the age of seven and had recently ungone severe cancer treatments prior to the filming of this event. I would love to say more but don’t want to spoil the show. Tune in to TV tropolis, Sunday nights at 6:00 pm to see some of these amazing mind bending antics. Pictures courtesy of John Mitchell Photography: www.johnmitchellphoto.com

Matt Storch & The Usual Suspects play to host Ruben “Hurricane” Carter” at Toronto’s Rancho Relaxo. “Pistol shots ring out in the barroom night Enter Patty Valentine from the upper hall. She sees the bartender in a pool of blood, Cries out, "My God, they killed them all!" Here comes the story of the Hurricane, The man the authorities came to blame For somethin' that he never done. Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been The champion of the world” Bob Dylan – Hurricane This was one of the biggest thrills of my musical career. Not only am I a huge fan of Bob Dylan but I have always been interested in the story of Ruben Carter. The boxer wrongly convicted of murder and the subject of the great Dylan tune “Hurricane”, as well as the subject of Denzel Washington’s portrayal in the movie “Hurricane”. When I got the call to see if the band was available to perform at the wrap party for Ruben’s new television documentary “Wrongly Convicted” I was obviously thrilled. Matt Storch & The Usual Suspects rocked the house and introduced Ruben to one of our original compositions titled “Die Or Be Free”. It didn’t make the shows soundtrack but to check out more of the extremely interesting documentary watch for “Wrongly Convicted ” on CBC.