JJ Grey To Release Live DVD/CD “Brighter Days” On Sept 17

Alligator Records continues its 40th anniversary celebration with the September 17 release of Brighter Days, the first-ever live DVD/CD from the master of "front porch soul," JJ Grey and his band Mofro.

Over the course of five studio albums and thousands of live shows in the U.S. and abroad, JJ Grey has emerged from the backwoods of Florida to perform on concert stages across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia.

Now, with Brighter Days, the galvanizing power of a JJ Grey & Mofro concert has finally been captured on film and CD. The 78-minute CD and 2-hour DVD were recorded at Atlanta's Variety Playhouse in January 2011. The film, directed by musician/filmmaker Spookie Daly, intersperses captivating live footage with band interviews and insightful commentary from Grey and others, recalling classic "rockumentaries" like The Last Waltz.

Shot in stunning HD and boasting 5.1 surround sound, Brighter Days finds JJ (vocals, guitar and harmonica) and his band - Andrew Trube on lap steel and electric guitar, Anthony Farrell on organ and piano, Art Edmaiston on saxophone, Dennis Marion on trumpet, Todd Smallie on bass and Anthony Cole on drums -- swimming in and out of thick grooves and hot, funky riffs.

JJ prowls the stage, ripping notes from his guitar, singing with preacher-like conviction, telling stories overflowing with organic truths, breaking down the wall between audience and performer. "I've always felt that music opens the door," says Grey, "but we've got to walk through it together."