Big Mo & The Full Moon Band

The rock 'n' roll blues group Big Mo & the Full Moon Blues Band had people dancing in the aisles as a more relaxed crowd came out to enjoy the first full day of the Chico World Music Festival. Shouts and cheers filled the room and gave the performance a more intimate quality as listeners young and old packed Laxson Auditorium on Saturday afternoon.

Slowing things way down with raw, emotional blues lyrics and then picking the mood right back up with rocking bluegrass riffs, Big Mo & the Full Moon Blues Band changed the venue into a smokey Louisiana blues lounge where the music moved people's bodies and meshed their souls with the notes of the guitar.

Lead singer and guitarist Maurice Huffman, or "Big Mo," embraced the crowd's energy and made sure everyone was on their feet swaying their hips to the music before he started another song. - By Kenna Hunt September 2007

Maurice Huffman, proprietor of industry surplus supplier Swiss-Link in Paradise, California, also enjoys a surplus of identities. Maurice is also Big Mo, blues vocalist/guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire and leader of Big Mo and The Full Moon Band. Mr. Mo has just released his second album, Torn, containing 16 simmering, smoky, slithering and smooth tracks of traditional blues, some country, Southern-style rock and pop, a little Santana-style latin influence, jazz-blues, funk, folk, powerful vocals & lyrics and top flight musicianship. Big Mo has assembled an excellent and complementary cast of players and as a result, the current incarnation of The Full Moon Band is out of this world. Guest players include New Orleans' vocals and harmonica legend Lazy Lester, adding to the album's soulful core and down-home textures. What's especially enthralling about Torn is the delightful mix of moods, sounds, emotions, and energy that offer something for every musical taste. Big Mo's career will surely take flight with this CD release, so we can all say "we knew him when." Maybe a Mo-mentum tour with Keb'Mo' is in the works? - By Mark Hawer ASD magazine March 2007

Hailing from Paradise,California,Big Mo & The Full Moon Blues Band have a considerably more uptown sound,with a soul feel creeping in as a result of slick charts from Eric Weber(sax) and Patrick Hilton (trumpet). Smooth cuts "Shine", "You know me ",and "Talk about it" come close to 70's Pop,while "B-Boy" incorporates Latin influences. But Mo ( Maurice Huffman guitar and vocals) keeps the ship mostly on course with straightforward,slide -driven blues on "Torn", New orleans-inspired "Roll down my sleeves," rollocking roadhouse rockers like "Try to do it alll" and "Just for Fun," and the dynamic, big-band slow blues "Mistaken." A mixed bag, the self -released Torn boasts high production values and thoughtful songwriting and arranging. Review by Tom Hyslop Blues Revue Magazine.
www.bluesrevue.com - By Tom Hyslop 03/06/07 Blues Review Magazine

Name: Peter Merrett, PBS FM 106-7 Australia Hi all at Himmel Street records thank-you for the cd \"Torn\". We have been blown away with what we consider one of the very best Blues cd\'s of the year. Hey Big Mo we love your sound, your band, your songs and coice of guest. This is seriously one kicking album. As we do tip-sheets every week your cd made number two spot only just knocked out by the new Koko Taylor cd. This is not saying yourr s is great as quite to the contrary we have played it over and over in the office before we allocate to the show Jumping The Blues. Check out our web site to view the tip-sheet. Once again thank-you from all of us Blues-aholics down-under all of whom will soon know who you are.regards Peter. - Peter Merrett, PBS FM 106-7 Australia

One of the best dance and “big band” soul and blues sets was Big MO and The Full Moon Band with Carlos Reyes and Volker Strifler. Big MO (Maurice Huffman) decided one day (so I heard) to put together a blues band and this was IT – he ...did a great job! Volker Strifler (guitar) has his own blues band and was just a headliner at two earlier festivals so to see him as part of this group was a treat. And Carlos was everywhere – later to be seen with Roy Rogers. The rest of the band included Eric Weber (sax), Hal Race (Drums) Patrick Hilton (trumpet), Steve Valine (pedal steel), Terry Smith (keys), and the bass player David Matson. They packed the bulding! - Marilyn Stringer The Blues Blast Magazine.