Friday, July 13, 2012

Mojo Groovin' is a fresh Vancouver- based soul jazz and instrumental funk and blues band. This project started in the summer of 2011 and the band has been very active since then playing around town. People at a Mojo Groovin’ show can’t help but tap their feet!

Mojo Groovin’ is a 4-piece band (guitar, keys, drums and bass) and their repertoire is a fun mix of funky jazz and blues tunes from great artists such as Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Grant Green, John Scofield, Jimmy McGriff, Albert Collins and many others. Their sound is a balanced blend of Hammond/Rhodes keyboards and guitar leads with a solid rhythm section.

Mojo Groovin’ is:
Ernesto Marquez on guitar. Ernesto is a seasoned guitar player with more than 20 years experience as a music performer, and is fluent in styles such as classical, blues, funk and jazz. Ernesto started Mojo Groovin' as a way to express himself through jazz and blues improvisation. And to have some fun! His favourite guitar players include jazz masters such as John Scofield, Mike Stern, Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, George Benson and the great blues master Albert Collins..

Enmanuel Moreno on the drums.Don't get fooled by the young looks of Enmanuel. Inside, he has the soul of a '70s groove master. Don't even get him started with latin rhythms. Enmanuel is a passionate musician and has completed his Jazz and Contemporary Music diploma at Vancouver Community College.

Howard Greenstein on the keys. Howard is the man behind those Hammond B3 licks. He is a top keyboard player in the Vancouver blues scene and a big fan of Joey DeFrancesco, Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff. Howard studied Jazz Performance at York U. in Toronto many moons ago. He loves the Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes electric piano and grand piano sounds that he uses in Mojo Groovin'.

For this show Mojo Groovin’ will feature Craig Strain on bass. Craig first picked up the bass at the age of 14, playing in high school bands and the local pub covers scene, and after a taste of the musicians life decided to study at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. He was awarded a BA Hons in Applied Music in 2004 and since then has been fortunate enough to travel the world playing music. European tours and life aboard a Caribbean cruise liner have been interspersed with a varied domestic gigging and recording schedule. These appointments have spanned many genres inluding jazz, hip hop, folk, pop, rock, rnb, soul and funk.
http://mojogroovin.com