From Fuzician Magazine, July 1999 (by Bobbie Smith)
Philip Sayce

“In 1999 Sometime”

Philip Sayce: singer, songwriter, guitarist, and
passion player, expressed this sentiment when asked
when he would record again. This humble, but driven
23-year old has put the plans in motion to deliver on
his word.

He is presently in the stages of a demo CD, a flash
version of his abilities and creativity ready for the
fine-combed scrutiny of record labels. By the end of
1999, he envisions a full-blown disc of material that
truly captures his intensity, style and abilities. To
call his first recording a CD, Sayce hesitates
visibly. The self-titled demo was recorded in 1996
through Hypnotic Records. To him, it is merely a demo
that does not properly portray what he’s about. “I
don’t feel that the first album was a real
representation of what was going on at the time. I
look at it more like a demo that I did..when I was 19
years old.”

Most artists take a decade or two to comfortably
inhabit the blues genre. Despite his fairly brief
musical history of only 5 ‘blues years’, Philip Sayce
has been able to awaken event he most cynical of blues
audiences with the fiery passion of a tempest and no
rest in sight.

Making the transition from 18-year old debutante, in
an overwhelming sea of new talent, to 23-year old
blues singer-songwriter-recording artist has taken
Sayce through several rites of passage at the speed of
light.

Having played in numerous venues, to audiences around
the world in Europe, as well as North and South
America, Sayce has adopted the playing style of a
versatile artist able to integrate well with other
performers. This modest musician has shared the stage
with legends such as B.B. King, Robert Cray and Jeff
Healey.

Being on tour with Healey for almost two years,
allowed Sayce to evolve in the presence of a pro. In
May of 1997, as part of Healey’s entourage at the
Ottawa Tulip Festival, Sayce was quoted as the
receiver of admiration and candid praise from the
well-known headliner himself. Such accolades have
given the youthful Sayce the professional confidence
to challenge himself and aim for higher long term
goals.

“I interviewed him after a Finnish tour with The Jeff
Healey Band and he was so enthusiastic about meeting
bluesmen who have been out there much longer than he
has. There was no ego tripping at all.” - John
Valentyn, host of ’‘The Blues Hours” radio program.

His passion is what draws people to him.

Those who have witnessed his presence on stage at any
of his live performances will attest to the fact that
Sayce chases these goals and plays them out through
his exuberant passion. Industry experts would say that
few veterans are successful at hanging on to this kind
of intensity. Sayce may prove them wrong. His passion
is what draws people to him. With the enthusiasm of a
new recruit as if on his first gig, he delivers a
performance wrought with irony: his playing is
betrayed by his youth. His live performances are a
must. As the storm rages on, spectators watch in
wonder as Sayce anticipates the lulls of gospel while
still in the throes of wielding guitar licks
reminiscent of legends both historic and current such
as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Healey.

When Sayce talks about what he sees as the main
differences between his self-titled album of ‘96 and
the current work in ‘99, it has lots to do with his
singing and songwriting.

“I would certainly incorporate more vocals into
whatever is recorded now..trying to make each song
like a painting with many different colors, ideas and
textures which work together to make the song better
as a whole..so that it takes the listener somewhere.”
And ‘take the listener somewhere’ it does.

“I’m impressed with the honesty and humility he brings
to his music. “ - John Valentyn

Here’s a firm suggestion to labels out there to get a
copy of Sayce’s new material for an impressive sound
that will appeal to the highly segmented music
industry markets.

As CJRT-FM‘s ‘The Blues Hours’ host John Valenteyn has
already said about Sayce, “I’m impressed with the
honesty and humility he brings to his music. He picked
up guitar relatively late as these things go but quite
obviously has a talent for it.” Bang on.

These live performances, at a bare minimum, can be
experienced every Tuesday night when Sayce hosts the
Jam night at Grossman’s Tavern in Toronto. But, also
to satisfy all who are interested in savoring his
explicit talent in a liver performance of his own,
there are a few opportunities to do so as he has a
full schedule of upcoming shows in the Ottawa region.
Sayce and his band will share the stage with David
Wilcox and Long John Baldry for a warm up Bluesfest
show at Lebretton Flats in Ottawa on July 7th. Tickets
are $5 or free for passport holders. Warmed up from
that, you can see The Philip Sayce Group again at
Perfect Strangers as part of the Late Night Club
Program on Friday July 9th. (Sperate admission is
required) Admission: $10 or $8 with Festival
Passport.) Also, please join us as The Philip Sayce
Group helps kick off the July 1999 debut issue of
Fuzician Magazine Saturday, July 10th at Perfect
Strangers, 211 Rideau St. from 8:30-11:30 p.m.
(Admission is $8) Come see for yourself.