JERSEY JULIE

Complete Bio in English, pour complete francaise allez www.jerseyjulie.com en francais.

Jersey Julie, from New Jersey, is an American artist of great talent that knocks you off your feet in every performance & leaves no one disappointed. Julie is a wonderful & charismatic singer, sax player, dancer who has an enormous positive & uplifting energy as she performs & becomes the music; currently with her extremely talented band formed in 2011. Over the past 15 years, she has played for many festivals & theaters across the USA & Europe (Chicago Blues Festival, Freedom Creek Festival in Alabama, Blues To Bop Festival in Lugano in Switzerland, Cognac Blues Passion & Cahors Blues Festival in France...). She's also toured for 5 years with the band Mudcat (from Atlanta Georgia), whom she recorded an album with named Kickin’ Chicken & which can be found on the Music Maker Label from North Carolina, USA.

Julie started performing & singing at the age of 5 & playing the sax by age 8. She grew up with music: jazz, blues, country, bluegrass, folk, gospel, Broadway, classical, Motown … many more. Julie played the blues in Chicago, living there 10 years before moving to Atlanta where she had the great opportunity to play with the Blues Men & Women of the southern USA. Notably artists on the Music Maker label, including Cootie Stark, Cora Mae Bryant (daughter of Curly Weaver) Drink Small, Beverly Watkins, Eddie Tigner... As a special guest, she was invited to play & sit-in, often full concerts or tours, with international artists, such as Tinsley Ellis, Sean Costello, Tony Allen, Bill Perry, Lucky Peterson, Walter Wolfman Washington, Sandra Hall, Derek Trucks, Robert Randolph, Cyril Neville, Bob Stroger, Adolphus Bell, Jeff Zima, Ricky Nye & Sean Carney.

Julie recently moved to France where she married Olivier Mas & started Jersey Julie Band in 2011. Jersey Julie Band is a “feel-good” high energy & original trio with Jersey Julie playing a growlin’ sweet sax & singing lead vocals or harmony with her powerful, clear, & often “raved about” unique voice. As leader of the band she gives all her love, spontaneity, humor, energy & generosity to the public while also helping to keep the rhythm; dancing, shuffling, stomping on her own rickety “dancing board” contraption. Olivier Mas grooves on the guitar with a force of solid rhythm & gorgeous, dirty, rockin’& uplifting solos. He also sings lead vocals & harmony with a truly soulful voice, complimenting Julie’s in great choir. Olivier previously played drums, banjo, & sang lead in other bands before becoming lead guitarist with Jersey Julie.

After years of touring around the globe with grand tours (Olivia Ruiz) & major labels, Stéphane Blanc joined the band on stand-up bass for the last 4 years until recently taking a break from touring and playing. Stéphane is a virtuoso with his own style that he develops continuously. He's layed down a groove & a vibrating slap that knocks people off their feet & provides, along with Julie, a great percussion section. He created with Julie and Olivier a great style and character for the Jersey Julie Band that remains inside much of the music being played and written by the group at present. Oli & Stéph have played together since the late 1980’s. They had found each other again when Julie came to town & they gave her just what she needed, a tight, groovin’, loving, & creative band.

All together, the three, have created a new feeling & experience in music with original songs, sounds & rhythm. In every concert they deliver a total fl ow of musical freedom & energy with a major kick.

Their style is based around American Roots Music, Blues, Rock n’ Roll, Gospel, Bluegrass, Country, Folk, Funk…. Now Olivier and Julie continue their trio work with the Fabulous Christian Bénard on piano and soulful vocals. Christian is a hit with his original and deep rooted soul boogie and blues. With Christian, the group has created a huge stir and buzz since beginning together in January 2015. The group will record together in the summer and continue to create tour and write new songs.

During 2011- 2013 Jersey Julie Band has participated in many festivals, among them: Sierre Blues, Pic Sonne, Ampuis Blues, Guitare en Save, Jazz’n Roll, St Izaire Blues, Voice of the Liberation, Feria de Beziers, Festival d’Art Singulier, Volcanic Blues, Engelberg Music Nights, Eden Blues District, Gartempe Blues, Blues Nights Gossau, Stedtli Blues, Summer Nights Grindelwald, Bühler Blues, Lugano Blues Nights, Blues In Wonderland (twice), Vully Blues, Blues en Loire.. The group has also been invited to the BAG-Blues Association of Genève (twice), also “Nuits de Blues” in Fanjeaux, Douzy, Pézenas, Agde, Nîmes... also for the “Fêtes de la Musique” in Modane, Portiragnes, Béziers...

In 2014, Jersey Julie Band has a full concert schedule and continues to make many large tours and many festivals in Switzerland, Germany, England, USA... and beyond!

2015 takes them to festivals in Poland,Luxembourg, and elsewhere and they continue a rigourous and delightful touring schedule in Europe - mostly throughout France, Switzerland, and Germany.