It�s about �trying to get that blues feel.�

Jon Turney, bassist/vocalist, explained his band�s name �Mojo Brown� is meant to spark images of the Deep South � �black magic, kind of Louisiana blues, the Delta-blues side of it.�

The band has released its first CD �Shades of Blue.� The recording features a song written by the band�s guitarist/vocalist/kazoo player Anthony Cogliati titled �Humboldt County Blues.�

This is the tune that won the foursome last year�s Power-96 �Battle of the Bands.�

Cogliati said he wrote the song more than 20 years ago.

�Do you realize I was born the year you wrote that song?� band guitarist/vocalist Mathew Bigham said.

The song came after Cogliati attended a concert at Arcata�s Jambalaya.

Cogliati said he is a playwright, but most of his creative energy is now vested in writing songs. �Humboldt County Blues� was his first song and it speaks to how he felt upon moving to the county from San Francisco.

�It just felt like home the first time I came here,� he said.

And then there�s Elvis.

Cogliati wrote �Elvis On My Cell Phone� for the CD.

Elvis Presley is just one of Cogliati�s influences. Ray Charles is a demonstrable one, too.

Among the songs Turney penned for the CD is �Blues Man.� He said one of his biggest influences has been Stevie Ray Vaughan, who Turney saw at the Eureka Municipal Auditorium.

It was Turney�s birthday.

�I�d never heard anything like that, never seen anything like that,� he said.
Bigham wrote �Sing You To Sleep,� which features his and Turney�s vocals. It sounds less bluesy and more like a ballad.

�A lot of the songs I seem to write are more ballad-type,� he said.

This one, like many of his others, came to him in the shower.
Bigham�s and the other members� songs are in draft form and the group completes them.

�We collaborate on everything,� the band�s drummer James Kahn said. �We make all of our decisions together. We talk about everything.�

They all work at Costco, too.

Kahn recalled an improvisational jam at the store.

�We had this kids� drum set and Fender guitar we were selling there,� he said.

Kahn maneuvered himself into the little seat behind the drums and they were �jamming in Costco.�

The four officially became a band in August 2005, after they had individually done some performances together.

Mojo Brown�s first gig was the Costco Christmas party, but the �stars� seemed lined up against them.

Cogliati had passed a kidney stone that day.

Bigham was extremely sick.

�Literally an hour before we hit the stage, Mathew was in the bathroom,� Kahn said.

In the past year and a half, Mojo Brown has done quite a few gigs, in addition to finishing the first CD, which is at www.mojobrown.com. The group�s next performance will be Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. at Cher-Ae Heights Casino.

Cogliati said he�d like to stay local and perhaps open for some national bands.

�It�s all about having fun making music,� he said. �Music is the creative outlet.�

�How much luckier can you be to have your hobby be this fun?� Turney said.

Bigham said he hasn�t given up the idea of some day making it in the industry.

�If it doesn�t happen right now, we�re still having the time of our lives,� he said.