JJ Grey & Mofro

Billed solely as Mofro at first, Florida songwriter JJ Grey and band have always challenged ideas about what kind of music could be birthed from the South’s sense of culture, pride, and conflict. It’s not just that Mofro captures that swampy, edgy vibe that roots-music enthusiasts tend to treasure these days—this band could do that in its sleep—it’s that the blur of blues, soul, country, and funk comes together with such muscle and presence. It’s thick and steamy enough to please a jam-band fan, but Grey’s bellowed lyrics about love, politics, and the land come with an incessantly grooving kick in the ass. The group’s latest album is 2010’s Georgia Warhorse. 

Updated 01/11/2012