Layla Zoe

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 but now calls Montreal 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 "wowing" crowds with her vocal power since the beginning. Layla has worked to release an album every year, and has five independent releases to date: You Will, Shades of Blue, Hoochie Coochie Woman, and Live at Errington Hall and The Firegirl. Her albums can be heard on radio all over the world and showcase many of Layla's original songs as well as classic cover tunes. 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), Blues Matters (UK), 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, Danny Marks, Henrik Freischlader 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 and has co-written with artists such as Vince R.Ditrich (Spirit of the West) and Kofi Burbridge (Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Band). Layla will be releasing her 6th album in the fall of 2011 since signing to Cable Car Records. The new album was produced by Henrik Freischlader and recorded by Martin Meinschäfer in Germany. Layla Zoe is a force to be reckoned with, and is changing the face of the blues and roots music scene.






REVIEWS:
JEFF HEALEY:
"She has created probably the biggest buzz vocally of any singer I've heard about in years in Toronto. All of the comments, compliments and credos going around the city about her are not unfounded. She is wonderful."

JAMIE KIME (guitarist/Zappa plays Zappa):
"Layla Zoe is an immense talent."

DOWN BEAT Magazine- Frank-John Hadley (Jan/08 edition):
"Zoe's a talent to keep tabs on. Possessed of formidable lung power and control-her closest antecedent being the young Tracy Nelson."

BLUES MATTERS magazine, England- Graeme Scott (Dec/07):
"Layla is possessed with one of those fantastic Maggie Bell, Janis Joplin or Kitto voices that reach down into your soul and is able to rip your heart out."

CANADIAN MUSICIAN MAGAZINE-"Musicians who care" article(Mar/Apr/07) :
"Layla is a gifted blues singer from Nanaimo, BC on Vancouver Island; she plays with passion, has a loyal following, and most of all, she is not waiting for a break to make a difference."

GLOBE AND MAIL- Brad Wheeler (Dec/07):
"Vancouver jaw-singer Layla Zoe walked the divide of Janis Joplin and Joss Stone, showing off her tattoos and a suggestive nature that drew wolf whistles and applause from the male part of the audience. A brawny Hoochie-Coochie Woman was what she sang – and was."

NOW magazine, Toronto (Dec/07):
"BC's Layla Zoe almost stole the whole show with her long red hair, glittery blue dress and skyscraper, tattoo-adorned legs. Her seductively serpentine sway and Joplinesque energy during No More Stormy Mondays and Hoochie Coochie Woman had the crowd hypnotized."

TORONTO BLUES SOCIETY- John Valenteyn:
"Ms. Zoe left behind a very impressive CD. It shows her to be a powerful singer and a very good songwriter."

VINCE R. DITRICH/Spirit of the West/Vinsynch:
"Some singers are like sports cars, some are like pickup trucks. Layla is a 440 Six Pack at full throttle. Fasten the 5 point restraints, folks..."







Layla Zoe at the Dutch Mason Bluesfest

Blind Lemon Blues | ..Myspace Video..



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Members:

Layla Zoe is well-known for her ability to sit-in with any band and has performed with musicians from all over the world, including her own bands in Eastern and Western Canada and now, Europe.. She has sung with Jeff Healey, the Downchild Blues Band, Danny Marks, David Gogo, Ken Hamm, Doug Cox, Al Webster, Dave Murphy, Alec Fraser, Bill Johnson band, Jerome Godboo, Dave Rotundo band, Suzie Vinnick, Rick Fines, Paul Pigat, Michael Jerome Brown, Ken and Chris Whiteley, Pat Stewart (the Odds), Vince R. Ditrich (Spirit of the West),Marg Stowe, Carlos Del Junco, Roxanne Potvin, Treasa Levasseur, Dawn Tyler Watson, Johnny Ferreira, Paul Wainwright, Marty Sammon (keyboard player for Buddy Guy, Otis Rush) the Robbie Burns band, Pistol Pete, Pete Galanis(guitar for Hubert Sumlin), Rick King(drums for Koko Taylor),Giles Corey(guitar for Otis Rush), Daryl Wright(bass for Mavis Staples), Reid Barton (Alibi), Mike Jarvis, Timo Pratskin, Carrie Chestnut, Bob Vespaziani, Julian Fauth, Wayne Charles, Derrick "D'Mar" Martin (Little Richard, Big Jack Johnson), Jessie Williams (Big Jack Johnson),Garrett Mason, Douglas Watson, Pat Carey, Lance Anderson, the Sab Family Band, the Pie Guys, Shakura S'Aida,Trouble and Strife, Michelle Josef, Brandi Disterheft, Maureen Brown, Sarah McElcheran, Chris Raines, Phil Whipper, Paul Nixon, the Gary Kendall band, the 5LIVE band, Henrik Freischlader, Mickey Neher, Moritz Fuhrhop,Tommy Schneller, Olli Gee, Roy Herrington, the Bluesnight Band, Armin Alic, Sascha Kuhn, Boney Fields, Waldo Weathers, Sax Gordon Beadle, Angel Forrest, Horst Bergmeyer, Drew Austin, Alberto Colombo, Domenic Romanelli, Dimitri Lebel-Alexandre, George Carter, Paul Deslauriers, Jimmy Reiter, Björn Puls, Andrew Gillis, Buck Tingley, Morrow Scot-Brown, Ian O'Donnell, Barry Cook, Joe Murphy, Carter Chaplin, Kellylee Evans, Shane Murphy, Craig Miller, Jim Zeller, Steve Hill, Monkey Junk and many more.
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Record Label:

CABLE CAR RECORDS