JJ Grey and Mofro Bring North Florida to Northern New York

 

 

William G. Gotimer, Jr.

Saratoga Springs, New York welcomed Jacksonville, Florida Friday night when acclaimed artists JJ Grey and Mofro brought the warm atmosphere with their funk, soul, rock, swamp music, multi-instrument show to Universal Preservation Hall.

Stopping in Saratoga Springs before embarking on a European tour, JJ Grey backed by ten talented musicians and singers was welcomed with open arms by a crowd that was excited before, during and after the show. The veteran group is unabashed in its avowed love of all things Northern Florida but its theme of nature, family, hard work and gratitude translates well to other areas and clearly resonates with the spa crowd. The mixture of ballads, soul and rock songshave a common theme of respect for the past, living in the present and preserving the future – all from the perspective of people who work hard but find beauty in their surroundings.

Grey manages to preach without being preachy – not an easy task – and given his longevity and lack of airs it is clear he is sincere. He loves North Florida, loves nature and loves his upbringing and isn’t shy about it. He writes about the pain of loss of open spaces to commercial development, the constant need to self-assess one’s place in grand scheme of things and appreciating the beauty of each moment. The catalogue of songs presented, while sticking to the overall theme are varied in their style and tempo. The group Mofro consists of ten multi- talented musicians playing two dozen different instruments in a sophisticated and nuanced arrangement. The two female backup singers show tremendous range of both voice and emotion and provide a graceful presence on the stage. Naturally, nearly every band member is from Jacksonville, Florida.

The crowd eagerly sang along on many of the sons and pretty much demanded an extended encore which led Grey to comment that the two-hour, thirty-minute show was “the longest on the tour.” The band genuinely appeared to appreciate the setting of Universal Preservation Hall as a former church and seemed bemused by the crowd seated in the apse behind the stage. A love fest between and among the band and the crowd seemed fitting on the night before Saint Valentine’s Day and songs of the warm Forida evenings warmed up an upstate New York city coming out of an extended cold spell. All in all – a good combination.