Big Joe Hurt

A dim lit room cast a mellow-yellow light center stage as what has become a Wednesday night ritual at the Café Cordiale in Sherman Oaks commenced. Dinner patrons turned their interest from their nightly feasts unto a feast of musical talent as Donovan Lyman introduced the evening's first runner up, Laura Cohn.

A light and airy acoustic feel radiated from the microphone as Cohn gently let her lyrics unfold over her guitar. The set began with "Don't Ask Me Why", a soft entrance to the follow up, slightly religious ballad, "All the Beauty is One" which contained a message of centering oneself within the chaos of life. Each song seemed to blend into the next and as I waited for an up-tempo tune to lure me in I couldn't help but notice the abundance of open seats in the dining area and bar, a shame for such an eclectic night at a hip venue. Being "acoustic" automatically labels music as low key and serene and although Cohn's set did indeed fit the genre it also lacked the fishhook needed to reel in an audience and keep them listening.

Following a short intermission the night gave way to an interesting three-piece group led by vocalist/keyboardist Chris Morris. My toes began to tap as a groovy mix of Jazz, Funk and Hip-Hop meshed together to form an incredible mix of music that sounded so right, there was no way it could go wrong. Rarely does one feel a sense of comfort from a high energy-soulful musician but as Morris hit each note with perfection the audience was inevitably convinced that the musicians on stage were pro's. The highlight of the set was "Get a Hold of Yourself", a funk-laced raw ensemble with emotion I could feel all the way from the far end of the bar. In a city where everyone is trying to "make it", it is refreshing to witness a caliber of music which is so finely "made".

After the last intermission the final artist of the night, Big Joe Hurt took his place behind the Cordiale mic. Drawing the largest crowd of the evening, Hurt's big, bluesy voice boomed its way over the beautiful Latin-Jazz wail of the lead guitar. Hurt's raspy vocals contained great range. Midway through Hurt and his band went into a beautiful rendition of the Bob Marley classic, "No Woman, No Cry", causing the crowd to clap to the beat and gyrate to the soul they felt emitted from the stage. Not often can a crowd be drawn into a full set of music, however Big Joe Hurt had the power to actually draw them to the stage as he ended the night by being joined not only by two quick-spoken lyricists but also by the two other artists from the night. A true sense of unity was felt as Hurt initiated a perfect way to close another great night of quality music at the Café Cordiale.

- Amy June
- Amy June

Big Joe Hurt
Cafe Cordiale
Sherman Oaks, Ca

Contact: Mail@BigJoeHurt.com
Web: www.myspace.com/BigJoeHurt.com

The Players: Big Joe Hurt, guitar, lead vocal; Walter P Little, bass; Juan Martin, congas, harmonica; Elijah Smalley, lead guitar; Alana Lee, harmony vocals; Marissa Delgadillo, harmony vocals.

Material: Big Joe Hurt presents self-described "grown-up music." This is true, in the sense that grown-ups who have experienced love, loss and the wide spectrum of human emotion will relate to this Latin- and jazz-infused tunes that reside somewhere between Jason Mraz and Los Lonely Boys. Big Joe Hurt covers Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" the way it should be covered: with an individual take unique to his cool, sweet style. For Joe, melody is king, but it is a royalty without extravagance, enjoyable in its simplicity.

Musicianship: The players in Big Joe Hurt's band are, much like their frontman, beautifully understated. Seeming from the jazz influlence, each musician takes a solo, but this group is solid in its cohesion. The solos are short and simple yet clearly show the talent each musician has. For those put off by long, self-indulgent solos sometimes found in jazz, there is nothing to fear.

Performance: Big Joe Hurt was at home on stage. Sharing stories of musical inspiration, this crooner had a welcoming style matched by his band. Backing vocalists Alana Lee and Marrisa Delgadillo were devastatingly adorable and approachable in appearance and ability. These musicians weren't rock stars; there were no egos or granstanding. It was an evening of comfort music to warm your soul.

Summary: Big Joe Hurt has a very specific vision for his music: love. As he said, "I hope one day, [my music] is respnsible for one child." Per-haps it is this feeling that comes across and makes a Big Joe Hurt experience so heartwarming and welcoming. Perfect for film in any romantic comedy, or even some private nookie music. Big Joe Hurt proves he's got lots of love to go around. ----Paula Munoz - Music Connection Magazine

This unique and refreshing new voice is making a splash here in the valley the old-fashioned way: through hard work, nonstop touring, and word of mouth accolades.

What makes Big Joe Hurt unique is that his voice is a rare blend of Soul and Folk with the ability to do it both in english and spanish.

He combines a mix of valley talent in his EP release No Pain No Gain. Guitarist and VAVV Records recording artist Scott Detweiler, Guitarist Alex Laborde of Noxdiei,Singer Song writer Joceyln Kay Lee, Hip Hop artist Nathias Paul aka Boss Hogg of WCS, percussionist Steven Olivera and Ritchie Orantes. All of this talent alongside Big Joe's accomplished acoustic guitar playing.
The stellar rhythm section of drummer Steven Olivera, and Orantes bring their latin flavor to this fusion of Blues, Soul, and Hip Hop.


No Pain No Gain is an independent release that was completed in late 2007. Big Joe credits Detweiler with being an essential part of the albums completion. "Scott is a dynamic musician who took me under his wing and shared his experience in studio," said Hurt. In listening to the album you can hear Detweiler's influence in the spanish tune Dejame en Tu Ayer and Blues tune 6am. Hurts voice resembles everything from Tom Waits to the seductive tone of Erykah Badu.



Remember two things about this album it features rootsy, thoughtful meditations that allow an already seasoned voice and player to stretch out his sound. Though Hurt has many years fronting Blues and Funk bands in the grand tradition of George Clinton, the songwriting is surprisingly diverse and accomplished throughout No Pain No Gain beginning with the growling blues song "6am," an excellent album opener, and then continuing with the single "Mothers Dirt."



If you are looking for an album to play on road trips or while curling up on cold rainy nights "No Pain No Gain," is a great choice. If you would like to purchase "No Pain No Gain," or check out one of Hurt's shows you can find his calendar and links at www.myspace.com/bigjoehurt.

- Valley News