Photo by Wesley Downs

Blues 9 plays a blending of jazz, R&B, soul, Motown, and rock that is quite near perfection.

Friday night provided a true escape for the music lover in Auburn. As Blues 9 took the stage at Bar 51,I had to double check my surroundings to make sure I wasn’t wondering down Bourbon Street in New Orleans, or sitting in the heart of Motown. Blues 9 put on what is quite possibly the best show I’ve seen since moving to Auburn, and the electric atmosphere of Bar 51 only added to the experience.

When asked before the show what kind of music they played, Jay Knorr (drums/vocals) simply replied, We play grown folks music,” which as it turns out is a blending of jazz, R&B, soul, Motown, and rock that is quite near perfection. The group’s lead singer and saxophone player, Kevin Vannoy, delivers the familiar lyrics of some of the most popular soul, and Motown covers in a smooth brassy voice that flows as sweet as molasses all while keeping your toes tapping with his enchanting sax.

Knorr keeps the beat up on the drums and provides background vocals, and still manages to crank out some extraordinarily funky drum solos. Robert Orr, the group’s lead guitarist and second vocalist, truly knows how to make a guitar talk, and balances out Vannoy’s jazz style vocals with his own southern/country sound. Blake Cleveland rounds out the foursome with a bass that you can feel in your bones.

Blues 9 will transport you to the heart of jazz, they are a must see in the Auburn music scene. Check them out at blues9.com.