Layla Zoe

Layla Zoe - Hoochie Coochie Woman - 2007 - Layla/Independent

Layla Zoe, a 30 year old blues guitarist and singer from Vancouver, has won the prestigious International Blues Heritage Contest in Finland. She is a gifted blues singer, and sings very much in the style of Janis Joplin, and Maggie Bell. This is a good classy blues album, from a woman whose star is on the rise..Try and buy her "Shades of Blue" album and give Layla the boost she needs to become a big star on the blues scene.

TRACKS

1 Hoochie Coochie Woman
2 Don't Wannah Hurt Nobody
3 No More Stormy Mondays
4 I Am Free
5 Soft As a Feather
6 Gottah Message For You
7 Desert Song
8 That's Why I'm Crying
9 Get Me Some
10 Black Eyes Blacker Song
11 Love Makes the World Go Round

BAND

Layla Zoe----All Vocals
Chris Raines--All Guitar parts,Keys,Bass & Harmonica
Gerry Barnum--Harmonica on Track #7

REVIEW

Dramatic vocals and strong songwriting highlight this CD from new Toronto resident Layla Zoe. It was recorded back in Vancouver, with Chris Raines, her music director from Shades of Blue playing virtually all his accompaniments. First off, “Hoochie Coochie Woman” and “No More Stormy Mondays” perhaps signal a return to using the blues tradition. In writing her lyrics, Ms. Zoe has adapted and expanded the originals, with proper songwriting credit given, and made them immensely more useful to the album in the process. The fact that useful lyrics are part of copyrighted songs seems to have become an insurmountable hurdle and has hobbled blues recording for decades. This comment is not meant to deny a songwriter his or her due, just to point out that, with proper consideration, much more should be possible, as these two songs show. I find this infinitely preferable to recording weak, original songs. Perhaps the sampling world has provided something useful after all. There are only strong originals here: “I Am Free”, for instance, is a chant set only to tribal drums that lists different examples of freedom, from a discharged soldier to an escaped battered wife and more. Completely a capella is “Black Eyes Blacker Song”, which returns to the battered wife theme. “Gottah Message For You” shows she can handle blues rock just as easily and “Get Me Some” exudes braggadocio as effectively as any male blues singer. Layla Zoe is getting a lot of buzz as a live performer as well. Get on the bandwagon early and get this one and by all means, see her live if you get the opportunity. © www.torontobluessociety.com/

BIO

Layla Zoe has been called "the Reincarnate of Janis Joplin" and deemed Canada's "Darling of the blues." She is a young powerful vocalist who was born in British Columbia, Canada. However she now calls Toronto her home after a recent move. Layla Zoe has been singing since the tender age of four years old, including performances with her father's band at the age of fourteen. She has performed all over the world and has been accepted as one of the best female blues singers in places such as Finland, Chicago, Vancouver Island, Toronto and even New York city. Layla has worked to release an album every year, and has four independent releases to date: You Will, Shades of Blue, Hoochie Coochie Woman, and Live at Errington Hall. Her albums, as well as her ability to stun crowds with her power and talent, has been critically acclaimed by the media and reviewed and showcased in publications such as: Canadian Musician Magazine, the Globe and Mail (Toronto), Toronto Blues Society monthly edition, DOWNBEAT magazine (Illinois, USA), Crossroads (France) and many more. Layla Zoe took home the "Female Vocalist of the Year" award at the Vancouver Island Music Awards in 2006 and won the Compo 10 International blues songwriting competition in Jaarvenpaa, Finland in 2006. She was the only woman and the only Canadian to make it to the finals of the Compo 10 contest in Finland and she humbly took home the prize. Layla Zoe has performed with the late great Jeff Healey, the Downchild Blues Band, and countless others, who have sung high praises of Layla's ability to channel her strong emotions into her performances. She has also been recognized for her songwriting and professionalism. Layla Zoe is being considered for a hollywood production of the Life of Janis Joplin, and has already been asked to sing the soundtrack for this upcoming film. Layla Zoe is a force to be reckoned with, and is changing the face of the blues and roots music scene. © www.layla.ca/