Groanbox, the North American trio of Michael Ward-Bergeman, Cory Seznec and Paul Clifford, are a musical hybrid of ideas and ideals. At first glance a roots band steeped in the traditions of American music, they play with all the guts of rock and roll and all the soul of the wandering troubadour. But somewhere along the way, that troubadour turned off the road and, setting sail from the melting pot of New Orleans, began a journey that would take their sound to new, unchartered territories with influences from around the world.

About the Musicians:

Corentin "Cory" Seznec is a Franco-American musician born in France and raised in Bahrain, Connecticut, and finally in Annapolis, Maryland. A multicultural household, extensive travels and musical encounters, and a passion for history exposed Cory to sounds from around the world, helping him to develop his own distinct style that reflects his broad interests. Cory received a masters degree in history from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and has a BA in history from John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He maintains a music blog called Cocoringo's Circadian Sounds. More information can be found on his website.

Michael Ward-Bergeman is a passionate performer, songwriter and composer. His sensitive and creative approach to music making has led to performances and collaborations with world-class musicians and composers from across a wide range of genres. Michael is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. More information can be found on his website.

Paul Clifford is a skilled west coast Canadian drummer and multi-instrumentalist with a gift for improvisation. Paul has played professionally in jazz, folk, blues, country, rock and latin bands; worked as a percussionist, composer and actor and travelled widely to keep his music fresh. Though formally beginning percussion studies in Malsapina Jazz College [Vancouver Island], he continued with Bata Folkloric in Havana, Cuba, and frequent pilgrimages to New Orleans soaking up the second-line, with added study at the Banff centre for the Arts, participating in Afrocubanismo 1997. Paul's new creative home is Muskie Studios in Kent UK, a reconditioned caravan equipped with the latest old 4 track in the business. More information can be found on his website.