Blackwater [Original recording reissued]

JJ Grey | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 23, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Dare Records
• ASIN: B0000C7PQC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  DVD Audio  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,445 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Blackwater

2. Ho Cake

3. Air

4. Jookhouse

5. Nare Sugar

6. Free

7. Florida

8. Cracka Break

9. Lazy Fo Acre

10. Santa Claus True Love & Freedom

11. Frog Giggin'

12. Whitehouse

13. Brighter Days

14. DATA TRACK (Enhanced CD)

Editorial Reviews

FRONT PORCH SOUL & LIVE "JOOKHOUSE" FUNK from the Blackwater region of North Florida...

MOFRO is led by singer / songwriter JJ Grey who grew up outside Jacksonville, developing a taste for raw grooves and living a life to inspire his soulful lyrics. Blackwater, Mofro's debut release on Fog City Records, maintains the label's focus on musicianship, fat tones and good times, deepened by insights into a place and culture that is slipping away with Florida's steady march to "progress".

Guest drummer George Sluppick (on loan from Robert Walter’s 20th Congress) says: "I feel like we've connected with each other on a very deep level... it's funky and groovin', like fried catfish and turnip greens... it's uplifting and spiritual, like grits and bacon... it's Southern to the core. My peoples!"

Special guest: Robert Walter (Fog City recording artist and founding member of The Greyboy Allstars)

Recommended side dish: Pan fried Cracker Meal shrimp with hush puppies.

This is an ENHANCED CD: In addition to more than an hour of boombox-optimized barbeque soul, this CD can also be placed in the CD-ROM drive of most computers for a multimedia experience that includes a full screen video (recorded in studio during the Blackwater sessions), "hands on" interactive mixer, virtual reality studio tour and bonus audio tracks on CDROM... it's got soul, and it's superbad!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't sound like a debut, December 4, 2004

By 

Elliot Knapp (Seattle, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blackwater (Audio CD)

From the opening, spacey piano riff, it sounds like Mofro have been doing this for a whole lot longer than one record. The title track is stunning, otherworldly, and classic. I'd like to give this record 4.5 stars because at times it seems a little disjointed--like it can't choose between sentimental thudding funk and faster, jokey tunes--both are great, but it's a little jumpy at times. "Ho Cake" is great--a list of southern foods and some hilarious childhood anecdotes. My favorites are "Air," which makes use of rhodes electric piano, the looping "Free," the heart-wrenching "Florida," "Whitehouse," and the oh-so soulful "Brighter Days." Mofro owes just as much to the Meters (believe it or not) as they do to the environs of the Florida bayou and J.J.'s back woods upbringing. What comes across is a soulful, funky record specializing in sentimentality and filthy grooves. Recommended for fans of the aforementioned Meters, Galactic, funky jambands, and soul. These guys don't disappoint.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must have!, May 18, 2002

By 

D. Berg "Lord of the Dance" (Rockville Centre, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blackwater (Audio CD)

This CD is fabulous. As a longtime lover of funk, blues, and rock, I'm overwhelmed by Mofro's efforts on this album. Every song is interesting, funky, and somehow raunchy at the same time. The title track "Blackwater" is ridiculously catchy and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since the first time I heard it. Robert Walter, of Greyboy Allstars fame, adds some always fantastic keyboard work to accompany the band's surprising talent. Although the roots and influences are different, something about the laid back, not taking itself too seriously feel of this CD as a whole reminds me of Sublime's "40 Oz. to Freedom." I would classify exactly what sort of music fans will like this album, but honestly, anybody who likes music will like this, I promise.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This album is full-on, March 15, 2002

By 

georgia_expat (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blackwater (Audio CD)

First let me say that if you have any hesitation buying this album, do not fear. This is one of the best overall album's I have heard in two years. I stumbled upon these guys opening for Robert Walter's at an LA club and was blown away. As a Georgia native this was nice to hear on the west coast. The music is honest, dirty, and I dare say brilliant -- think early 70's Stevie Wonder crossed with The Meters and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Sound interesting? Just you wait.