WE caught up with JJ Grey of JJ Grey and Mofro fame last week talking to him at his home on Fort George Island on the east coast of Florida, USA.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
At times JJ has heard to hear as a flock of resident peacocks were just coming to the end of their breeding season and were very vocal in the background.
Speaking of vocals, JJ is excited about coming to sing and play with his band at Narooma, although he has been to Australia before when playing the Byron Bay Blues Festival in 2009 and then again last year.
His said he is however looking forward to exploring a new part of a country that he always enjoys visiting.
“It’s one of my favourite places on Earth,” he said.
He will be playing plenty of items from his new album Ol’ Glory released this year, as well some of their older material.
We could not resist asking him about the Confederate battle flag in the wake of the recent racially inspired massacre in nearby South Carolina.
Only half-jokingly, JJ said he hadn’t heard about it as he never watches the news.
But he said the flag was part of his nation’s history and was just a drawing on some cloth, but he said if people saw hatred in the flag then perhaps it should come off government buildings and not be sold.
“If it offends people, then take it down,” he said.
JJ Grey & Mofro (formerly billed just as Mofro) is a Southern rock/soul/funk/blues jam band from Jacksonville, Florida composed of JJ Grey (vocals, electric piano, acoustic guitar and electric guitar, harmonica), Andrew Trube (electric guitar and slide guitar), Anthony Farrell (Hammond organ), Anthony Cole (drums), Dennis Marion (trumpet), Jeff Dazey (tenor saxophone) and Todd Smallie (bass guitar).
JJ Grey and Mofro are set to appear in Narooma when they play the Great Southern Blues Festival this October.
Stay tuned to the Narooma News for more blues news in the lead up to the festival.