After his performance in a fully packed festival tent at the Ribs & Blues festival in Raalte, Holland I meet up with American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JJ Grey backstage. Obviously my first question is if he liked the show. “It was great. It’s really nice to play here for such a lively crowd. We enjoyed it and this is an awesome festival.”
You tour a lot in the United States. Over there you’re quite known, but to my surprise that’s not so much the case in Europe. How come?
“Well, until now I didn’t focus on Europe that much, to be honest. However I did play here before. That was some years ago at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. I think that was around 2003. At the Paradiso I played on the main stage and in the smaller venue as well. From now on I’m planning to focus more on Europe too. In July I return to the Netherlands to perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival. I do love to come here and really like it when I notice, to my surprise I must say, that the people know my music. I love it when people sing along on my songs.”
“I’m a great admirer of Otis Redding
I love his voice and music!”
Your music got a lot of soul, also due to your warm and hoarse tone of voice. What’s your connection to soul music?
“When I was a little boy I use to listen – sometimes secretly – to the record collection of my father. His collection consisted of a lot of soul, country and blues. In particular the voice of Otis Redding grabbed me by the throat right away. I’m a great admirer of Otis Redding. Man, I really love his voice and music! By the way, this applies for Toots Hibbert as well. They are my favorite singers.”
When did you start making music?
“I began making music when I was about twelve years old. That was on my first guitar that my father bought me for only ten dollars. But to be honest I stopped doing so rather quickly because I considered myself a poor guitarist and I couldn’t get a hang of it. However I started playing in some cover bands at age seventeen. But I picked up playing the guitar seriously again in my mid-twenties. And later on I began playing other instruments as well.”
When did you start with your own band? And what was the name of your first band?
“That was around 1998 and right from the start the band was called JJ Grey & Mofro. In 2001 I released my first album, Blackwater.”
What does it mean, Mofro?
“It doesn’t mean anything specific actually. It’s more of a name. A nickname that is. They use to call me Mofro back then in my hometown.”
You’re quite a versatile artist, one can say. You’re a singer, songwriter and a multi-instrumentalist. And besides that you produce all of your music yourself. I’m under the impression that you like to control everything. Is that right?
“For me this works best. I have my own studio at home where I can jam and record all of the music. I play all parts on different instruments and make a demo that I send to the members of my band. The horn sounds I make by using my voice. And subsequently Art Edmaiston and Dennis Marion (the horn section) make something nice of it. All band members start working on their parts and at one point we get together at the studio and start recording the songs.”
You’re always surrounded by some of the finest musicians that are all eager to play with you. For how long now are you playing with these guys?
“I’m extremely happy myself to play with these guys. They’re all great musicians. We’re together for quite some time now. Our great bass player Todd Smallie is the last one that joined us. I think that’s about three years ago now. Todd previously played in the Derek Trucks Band.”
“The Sweetest Thing is dedicated to my little girl”
At the Ribs & Blues festival you played the great song The Sweetest Thing. I know it’s dedeicated to your daughter. How old is she now?
“Oh yeah, this song is for my little girl. Actually I play this song at every gig. My little girl is four years old now. Besides that I have an adult son as well. He’s twenty five.”
Are you married?
“Yeah, I am. And still with the same woman, ha ha. Both of the children are ours.”
To me as a father, the special feeling of having a daughter – besides having a son – is very much identifiable. Don’t you miss her intensely when you’re on tour?
“I know what you mean. Having a daughter is so special. And different as a father. And yeah man, I miss her dearly when I’m on tour. I can’t miss her for a long time, so I try to arrange my tour schedule in such a way that I don’t have to miss her too long. This means that I try to plan my tours in Europe in a way that I’m not on the road and away from home for a long period of time. Or that I’m able to get back home in between.”
“Next to Otis Redding one of my favorite singers is Toots Hibbert”
The Sweetest Thing – that’s on your 2010 album Georgia Warhorse – you recorded with the great Jamaican singer Toots Hibbert of Toots & the Maytalls. How did this came about?
“Next to Otis Redding one of my favorite singers of all times is Toots Hibbert. I’m frequently in the Caribbean or West-Indies. Also in Jamaica. I met Toots Hibbert at a festival in Jamaica where he performed. My manager made contact with the manager of Toots Hibbert and explained to him that I’m a great admirer of him. From then on things started.”
Did Toots Hibbert know about your music?
“No, not at that time. After we’ve met he start to listen to my music.”
You’re frequently in the Caribbean and West-Indies, you say. Howcome?
“Man, I love to be there! I really feel at home over there. The laid-back atmosphere, the music, the sunshine, I love it! My wife is from the Caribbean, she’s from Barbados. And of course the weather, the climate is so nice.”
The weather and climate you say!? Man. You’re from Florida! You can’t complain. It’s always nice and warm over there.
“Ha ha, no man. When you compare it to the Caribbean and the West-Indies it can be quite cold in Florida.”
My father is from the Caribbean as well. He’s from Aruba. And my grandfather is from Trinidad.
“Alright, nice! If that’s your roots, you’ll definitely recognize my preference man.”
When I finally ask Grey when he’s going home – back to his Sweetest Thing that is – he replies that he’s going back home in a week with a meaningful smile on his face.
