If you go
› What: JJ Grey & Mofro› Where: The Signal, 1810 Chestnut St.› When: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19› Admission: $29.50 in advance, $32.50 day of show› Phone: 423-498-4700› Online: thesignaltn.com
JJ Grey is the first to tell you that he has an advantage when it comes to making and playing music: Mofro, his band.
He believes that when he gets together to make music with Eric Brigmond, Marcus Parsley, Dennis Marion, Craig Barnette, Zach Gilbert and Todd Smallie, all he has to do is enjoy the ride.
"I 100 percent feel like I am the luckiest person alive," he says. "Something happens with them. It's made me understand what's going on with sports teams where everyone is really good and working together. Like when you don't have to worry about the other guy or think.
"I feel like with the guys I'm playing with and whatever happens, I don't have to give it a lot. Just enjoy the moment."
Grey was born John Higginbotham and Mofro was formed in the mid-'90s. Though there have been numerous personnel changes over the years, it has always been a tight band able to jump from rock to jam to jazz to funk at a moments notice.
Grey says having full confidence in the guys around him is both an amazing and freeing feeling, whether they are playing live or recording in the studio.
"It's so different than seeing a band that is worried about every note," he says.
"It only comes with experience and I'm fortunate. I feel like anybody could do what I do with these guys.
"[In the studio] I don't have to worry about if somebody can play something. I bring in a demo where I play a wacky drumbeat - anybody can do it for four bars and then loop it - and I'll give it to Craig, Not only will he do that, but he'll do all these crazy turnarounds and fill-ins and everything else he does. Not only will he play the wacky beat I did, but it will be better."
Grey says his influences are about as varied and diverse as they come. He listens to everybody from Pavarotti to Jerry Reed to James Brown to Toots and the Maytals to Otis Redding, and says they all have one thing in common.
"Soul. They all have soul.
"It makes you look at the world in a different way."
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.