From the steamy Enfield delta, something bluesy this way comes….
Howlin’ Mojo Bones are a 4 piece blues band based in North East London.
he band is built around the voice of Howlin’ George Witter, a stalwart of the North London blues scene for many years.
George was born in Jamaica but came to London in the mid-sixties. He has seen some tough times, having suffered a severe bout of polio when he was an infant, which left him unable to walk without the aid of sticks. He says that when he realised he would never be able to play football music first became a comfort to him, then a calling.
George’s meeting guitarist Steve Crane was pivotal. He says it was like finding a soul mate. There was an instant music connection, which, when coupled with the powerful but flexible rhythm section of John Baker on drums and Gus Denton on bass (replacing original member Mick Whitbread), forged the distinctive sound of Howlin’ Mojo Bones.
The 11 tracks on their 2017 debut CD reflect the band’s blues influences, and was enthusiastically endorsed by the UK's leading Blues magazine, Blues Matters, who wrote: "as the debut from a fledgling band this is a winner".
The US Blues magazine said of the album: "Every once in a great while there’s a blues band that reminds you why you love the blues. This band fronted by a spectacularly original lead singer is why these reminders are so far and few between. It’s ultimately the truth and depth of feeling dispensed on this disc that drives these extraordinary North East Londoners down their own boogie blues highway not necessarily all the way to hell but definitely one of the stops"
In 2018, the band released their 2nd album: Voodoo She Do, which features a more muscular style, but retains the band's roots in the blues.
RootsTime, an online Blues and Roots magazine, described it as "Modern blues with a hint of the Blues Boom of the 1960s"
Blues Blast wrote" The band shows a variety of styles here, blues, rock and 60’s British R&B all being present and correct. The rhythm section keeps things moving ahead, Gus adds some melodic bass lines and guitarist Steve steps out to play some good solos, often evoking the spirit of Paul Kossoff, as in opener “Livin’ The Dream” which seems to be autobiographical as George sings of travelling the country in a “broken-down van”, played to a catchy riff."
The band ceased playing live in 2020 due to the COVD 19 lockdown.
Sadly, in 2021, guitarist Steve Crane died after a short illness.
In September 2022, the band released One Foot In The Blues, their final album, recorded in 2019, dedicated to the memory of Steve.
Howlin’ Mojo Bones are a 4 piece blues band based in North East London.
he band is built around the voice of Howlin’ George Witter, a stalwart of the North London blues scene for many years.
George was born in Jamaica but came to London in the mid-sixties. He has seen some tough times, having suffered a severe bout of polio when he was an infant, which left him unable to walk without the aid of sticks. He says that when he realised he would never be able to play football music first became a comfort to him, then a calling.
George’s meeting guitarist Steve Crane was pivotal. He says it was like finding a soul mate. There was an instant music connection, which, when coupled with the powerful but flexible rhythm section of John Baker on drums and Gus Denton on bass (replacing original member Mick Whitbread), forged the distinctive sound of Howlin’ Mojo Bones.
The 11 tracks on their 2017 debut CD reflect the band’s blues influences, and was enthusiastically endorsed by the UK's leading Blues magazine, Blues Matters, who wrote: "as the debut from a fledgling band this is a winner".
The US Blues magazine said of the album: "Every once in a great while there’s a blues band that reminds you why you love the blues. This band fronted by a spectacularly original lead singer is why these reminders are so far and few between. It’s ultimately the truth and depth of feeling dispensed on this disc that drives these extraordinary North East Londoners down their own boogie blues highway not necessarily all the way to hell but definitely one of the stops"
In 2018, the band released their 2nd album: Voodoo She Do, which features a more muscular style, but retains the band's roots in the blues.
RootsTime, an online Blues and Roots magazine, described it as "Modern blues with a hint of the Blues Boom of the 1960s"
Blues Blast wrote" The band shows a variety of styles here, blues, rock and 60’s British R&B all being present and correct. The rhythm section keeps things moving ahead, Gus adds some melodic bass lines and guitarist Steve steps out to play some good solos, often evoking the spirit of Paul Kossoff, as in opener “Livin’ The Dream” which seems to be autobiographical as George sings of travelling the country in a “broken-down van”, played to a catchy riff."
The band ceased playing live in 2020 due to the COVD 19 lockdown.
Sadly, in 2021, guitarist Steve Crane died after a short illness.
In September 2022, the band released One Foot In The Blues, their final album, recorded in 2019, dedicated to the memory of Steve.