Hott Mott's Rhythm & Blues Band

“One of the area’s best harmonica players and musician,” and “the next generation of the Blues” are two of the most common phrases being used to describe one of North Jersey’s youngest and hardest working band leaders, Vin Mott. Upon witnessing one of his band’s electrifying live shows, it becomes clear what all the buzz is about, and why such accolades as “the one carrying the torch” seems to surround his name.

Vin was born in April 1989 and raised in Pequannock, NJ where in middle school and high school he was deeply involved in the districts requitable Music Department. It was in high school when Vin began discovering his love of Blues and Roots music, the sound of the harmonica, and began teaching himself, with a little help from the internet, to play the Blues Harp. Deeper and deeper he dove into the history of the music, becoming engulfed in all styles from the hardest of sweltering Delta Blues, to the swingin’ shuffles out of Chicago, to the fast dance tempos of Jump Blues of the 40’s and so on!

In 2007 Vin went on to study music at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA where he graduated in 2011 with a BA in Songwriting. Although his study was not primarily blues-based, what he learned and took from Berklee was the musical knowledge and songwriting skills that cross into all genres of music, and strengthened his harp playing with the theory and melodic capabilities that became easier to access creatively. All through his time in Boston the Blues was on his mind, and he would frequent local blues establishments when he could, alone, to watch local acts, and dream of putting together his own band, and play that music the right way!

By the late summer of 2013 Vin had returned home to New Jersey. He was burnt out on all aspects of his life thus far. Every job he had ever had felt like a dead end, he had nothing going on musically and when he would be involved in a project it usually died out quickly. It was time for a change. The years and years of Blues songs, musical ideas, band instrumentations, and Blues cover song lists, began to take over his and local guitarist Sean Ronan’s mind until they decided they needed to flesh out all their ideas in real life. Hott Mott’s Rhythm & Blues Band was born.

Over the next several years Vin, along with the help Sean Ronan, would book countless gigs in local taverns, roadhouses, and restaurants such as the Great Notch Inn, the Robin’s Nest Rhythm & Blues, Hat City Kitchen, and Ruthie’s BBQ & Pizza, as well as branching into Eastern PA and the Philadelphia area. The live band has included some of the areas most talented young Jazz, Blues, and Roots musicians.

In the Fall of 2016 Vin Mott’s Rhythm & Blues band will release his first true Blues album featuring 10 original tracks, Sean Ronan on guitar, and a cast of North Jersey’s best local talent! Keep an eye out!