Indianapolis, IN. – “What a fantastic night of music” pretty much summed up the evening when JJ Grey & Mofro rolled their buses into Old National Centre for a little blues, a little rock-n-roll and a whole lot of soul in the Egyptian Room. They brought along the sensational Judith Hill to open the show and treated fans to a fun-filled evening of “grooves to make you move” – There is no better way to spend a Sunday evening in the Circle City and if you were not there, I’m sorry to say you missed a good one!
There are nights when it is good to show up early to catch the opener and this was one of those nights! I was not familiar with Judith Hill before showing up for the show but she sure got my attention when she walked on to the stage and started to play. Born and raised in sunny Los Angeles California, Judith is a singer-songwriter that has some serious chops on the guitar and piano with the voice of an angel. A deeper dive into her resume finds some pretty impressive music legends and it doesn’t take too long to hear their influence in her music.
Having provided back up vocals for both Michael Jackson and Prince (just to name a few), Judith was picked personally by MJ to sing a duet with him on his THIS IS IT tour before his untimely passing in 2009. Her rise to fame is showcased in the music documentary 20 Feet from Stardom of which she also won a Grammy for. Her debut album, BACK IN TIME, was recorded at the famous Paisley Park and co-produced by Prince. Judith was also a serious contender on season four of The Voice and made it to the Top 8 before being eliminated. Katy Kroll of Rolling Stone was quoted as stating “It’s a sad loss for the show, as Judith had the type of vocal chops and stage presence that should really be rewarded by such a competition.”
Judith currently has a new album set to release April 26, 2024 via Regime Music Group titled LETTERS FROM A BLACK WIDOW and has dropped a couple new singles “Dame De La Lumière” and “Flame” to check out in the meantime. Do yourself a favor and get to know Judith Hill. To say she is sensational, is an understatement!
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JJ Grey & Mofro hit the stage with a vengeance! Kicking the night off with the tune “OLUSTEE” – the titled track off their new album of the same name – featuring JJ Grey with a smokin’ harmonica and vocals before Mofro kicks the tune into high gear. The band came in hot and did not stop through their over 90 minute set. OLUSTEE is the first album in almost a decade from JJ Grey & Mofro (out now via Alligator Records) and was heavily showcased throughout the night.
The band was having fun on stage and that energy translated to the crowd. They were happy to be back in Indianapolis; JJ talked of past visits to the Circle City and mentioned fond memories of times hanging in Broad Ripple (shout out to the Alley Cat and Vogue Theatre). This was their first time back since 2022 when they kicked off the Rock The Ruins season and the fans welcomed their return. Frontman JJ Grey (lead vocals, harmonica, guitar, keyboard) was joined on stage by Craig Barnette (drums), Eric Mason (percussion), Todd Smallie (bass), Marcus Parsley (trumpet), Kenny Hamilton (saxophone), Charles Brigmond (keys, brass), Pete Winders (guitar), Katie Dutton (background vocals) and Linzy Lauren (background vocals) also known as Mofro.
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SETLIST: INDIANAPOLIS
- Olustee
- WYLF
- A Woman
- Rooster
- This River
- Top of the World
- The Sea
- 99 Shades of Crazy
- Orange Blossoms
- Deeper Than Belief
- Wonderland
- Lochloosa
- Seminole Wind (John Anderson cover)
- Lazy Fo Acre
- On Fire
- The Sun is Shining Down
- On A Breeze
- Brighter Days
JJ Grey and Mofro will be out touring the U.S. with dates through September; ending at Louisville’s popular Bourbon & Beyond music festival. Make sure to check local listings or their website for a date near you. And speaking of bourbon… JJ GREY and St. Augustine Distillery have teamed up to bring you ROLLING ROOSTER, a Florida straight bourbon whiskey.
“Warm and fuzzy at the top, with a tiny hint of cocoa before it spreads out wide across the palette. It reminds me of that smokey taste of marshmallows over an open fire, finishing out light and easy with just the right amount of subtle oak and silver queen corn. All of that, and a high enough proof to keep her smooth as silk. No matter how far I travel, it always brings me back home. Yeah, you’re definitely rolling with a rooster tonight!”
JJ Grey
Show Date: 03.24.24
