Formed almost ten
years ago, Vancouver’s The
Mojo Stars wasted no time establishing themselves as a force
to be reckoned with in the local blues scene. With deep roots in blues and
soul, combined with a rock driven edge, this multi-talented band has been
collecting a large following starting from their debut performance at
Vancouver International Jazz Festival to their upcoming tour of 2017.
Comprised of front man
Randy Clarke, guitarist Mark Rankin, and later including local heavyweights,
drummer Loren Etkin (Long John Baldry) and bassist Lee Oliphant, the band’s
first year saw them playing at local clubs, pubs, casinos and private events.
In 2009, they recorded their first CD, Devil’s Advocate, a collection
of ten original songs penned by Clarke and Rankin. The album received
extensive airplay and was featured on blues radio programs in Canada, the US
and Europe.
The end of 2010 saw
the group on hiatus, but two years later they returned reinvigorated, adding
new members, B3 player Kenny Boychuck (long time Jerry Doucette collaborator)
and sax man Tom Gould to the lineup. Playing their return gig at the newly-
opened Columbia in New Westminster, The Mojo Stars sold out the 500-seat-room
and treated both old and new fans to the freshly written material.
Now, The Mojo Stars
have released their new album Under The Influence (February 17, 2017).
The 11-track recording features six live cuts and is laden with catchy, heavy
riffs, Stax-like grooves and soulful vocals. The Mojo Stars will be
performing locally to celebrate the release and heading out on tour later in
2017.
“Under The
Influence is feel good blues, a
lively mixture of 5 studio and 6 live cuts, and the energy of the
performances is infectious… The band is tight, the performances are solid and
occasionally inspirational. Under The Influence is
capable of heavy lifting if you’re feeling down and your soul needs a boost…
what could be better than that?” – Gonzo Online/The Rock Doctor
“Their music is
adorned with a powerful and effective combination of dynamic rock,
funk, soul and blues, and such fusion guarantees above all a great
and inspired musical story.” – Blues Corner / Soundguardian
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Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Artist Spotlight: Vancouver's The Mojo Stars
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