Latino Hispanic Culture, Art and Film at Bullfighter’s Cafe

Having had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Big Joe Hurt perform, we were very excited to feature on Big Joe in the Cafe. And now, after winning the Single of The Year, we know Big Joe will get all the attention he and his band deserves! Listen to Big Joe’s award winning song…
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BFC: Having grown up in the high desert, I’m familiar with the lack of arts and music there, can you describe your experience growing up in the desert?

Growing up in Hesperia was like living in Alaska. People move there for cheap land, or they want to isolate themselves or they were running from the law. Racism was a way of life. But good people always seemed to seek each other out.

My sister and I are first generation US citizens, my parents come from the state of Sinaloa. Mazatlan to be specific. So here was my constant question whenever Hesperia got to me, “Mom how the heck did you guys grow up in a beach city and then decide to settle in town that has zero water with extreme heat and extreme cold?” …lol!

BFC: Your parents must have brought some Mazatlan with them. What was it like in your home growing up?

My house was divided by the music of my parents and the music coming from my room. My parents listened to cumbia’s and rancheras. My pops was always listening to Chalino Sanchez, and my mom Laura Leon. My mom use to think I was so wierd when I would listen to blues growlers like BB King, Howlin Wolf, and Tom Waits.

BFC: So you were always interested in music? Did you always want to be a musician?

My uncle Mike performed one Christmas for the family. Picture this my uncle my a product of the 60’s Hippie movement and Vietnam Vet (Gringo married my aunt Cathy) programmed drums, bass, keys and played guitar to it all. My uncles watched it with there head slightly tilted in to the left with that question mark on their faces. Mike was playing Jazz fusion grooves that were planting seeds in me like mad but completely going over my uncles and aunts heads. After that performance I knew I wanted to be on a band stand! I waited until I was in my late teens before picking up the guitar.

My influences were Mississippi John Hurt, BB King, U2, Bob Marley and all the while appreciating everything. This is one of the reasons I feel lucky to have grown up in Hesperia. I was exposed to a variety of different music from Folk, Bluegrass, Rock, to Country. I believe a musician shackles him/herself if they narrow their listening to one genre.

BFC: When did you decide to make music your career and how did you get started?

After my first year of living in the San Francisco Bay Area I met a session guitarist and he made things very clear. Steve Sage an amazing guitarist and mentor showed me the light. From that point on I decided this was my path for better or for worse. Since that day its been a focused desire to improve the craft. The bay area provided me with the education of how to lead a band, what it takes to produce a successful show and most importantly how to respect the stage. Old timers in the Bay always made it a point to tell show me etiquette, and I am truly thankful for that.

I started with a 3 piece and we experimented with a layered sound that attempted to fuse blues with alternative. I played in a Spanish Rock band but it wasn’t until I formed Mojo Filter a blues and soul band. It was with that band that I began to test the waters as a songwriter and performer. Mojo Filter found success in the Bay area but the band came to end as well.

I had lived in the bay for a long time and felt it was time to head back to southern California and give Los Angeles a shot. What I learned in the Bay was that the music landscape had enough room for everything. Los Angeles has taught me that the saturation of music here only benefits those who stay true to themselves as songwriters. The more you shift your sound to be more like the masses the more you blend in. Believe in your talent and so will other.

BFC: Now that you are making your music, what do you like best, the writing process, recording or performing your music?

In this order performing, writing, recording. Performing is a direct link to the energy of people. Performers and audiences exist in a symbiotic state each should work as hard as the other in a show. Which is why I love performing the most.

Writing is awesome because your like a chemist. You write something you test it. You take the gauge the tune add and omit to refine. When you find the right formula for a tune you know it by the way a crowd reacts. Are they engaged or are they more interested in the color of the curtain on the stage?

Recording is a unique beast for independents. We go into the studio and record and have very little room for experimenting in studio. The goal is to capture the song at it highest quality in the least amount of time. The stress can really weigh on you. I look forward to the day when my band mates and I can go into a studio not worry about those things.

BFC: How does your cultureinfluence on your music?

Hesperia and desert themes constantly creep into my lyrics. Cumbia melodies find root in neo soul fusion tunes. As a group we have so many ingredients that make up the sound of the band. Each member bringing their influence in to color the live performances.

BFC: You describe your music as being a fusion of soul music with a hint of blues and reggae. How do these styles influence your music or rather how do you utilize these styles to create your own sound?

Blues is a deceptively simple form of music. Sometimes it utilizes two chord changes but the amount of soul that is squeezed out can not be compared. Reggae is to groove like blues is to soul. Reggae squeezes out immense amount of groove from its progressions. As a song writer I try to find the soul in the melody and the groove in the chord progression.

BFC: Congratulations on winning a Los Angeles Music Award Single of the Year “WAR”!

The lyrics for WAR are an attempt to express the frustration I think we all felt with the way 9/11 and Katrina were handled. It was so frustrating to read the final reports on both and see how poorly they were handled. The lyrics try and take you through the events. The music was intentionally written to mask the heavy topic the lyrics were offering. When you listen to WAR it feels smooth and relaxing. It has that feel like you can put it on when you sit down with your loved one with a candle and a bottle of wine. Its sexy, political, and groovy!

BFC: How did you feel when you first heard about the award?

I felt overwhelmed, any performing artist in LA will tell you that rejection is the name of the game. We must not let it affect us and our art. So as a defense mechanism we learn to not get to high on the highs and no to low on the lows. Most importantly we learn how to pat ourselves on the back, because LA will not 99% of the time. So when I got the call I got off the phone with them and sat in my car in the dark finally allowing the emotion in. I instantly thought of my bandmates, and felt so blessed by the ones who have stayed with this project.

It is such a hard thing to stay focused in this town, and my band is now in its 3rd generation of players. Juan Martin has been with me the longest followed by Alana Lee and Chris Trujillo. I felt an overwhelming feeling of appreciation for the bandmates that helped move the band through the tough times too! The first person I called was Alana she is the band cheerleader. Los Angeles is a place that requires songwriters to have some proof of legitimacy. Whether that be awards or venues played. Its just the way the game is played unfortunately. That being said the band now has a marketing point when to promote when we release our up coming album While You Were Away. We are working towards getting the songs placement on Television and Movies.

BFC: What’s next for Big Joe Hurt? Any plans for a tour of live shows or new material coming out?

The next thing to do is Release the new Album and begin planning the promotional tour of the album. After I released my first album the year following the release saw us play over 100 shows! Playing coast to coast north and south. It was awesome, I love the road. I know people get sick of it but I was meant to be in a bus with my drummers stinky feet waking me up:) We also will begin to meet with management companies. I have run the band for so long with the help of the street team that we are at a point now where we are ready to turn those reigns over to a management company that has our best interest at heart.
We are currently discussing the album release party for “While You Were Away,” with a few major venues here in Los Angeles and of course the band walks the red carpet Nov 12th at the Avalon to accept the Single of the Year Award.

New Material will be forthcoming I am working on collaborations for an album that focuses on Acoustic tunes.

Be sure to visit www.bigjoehurt.com

PM11/09