"Blues has always been true rebel music, a clarion call for justice and the stories of black musicians from the south, their struggles, joys and triumphs and search for freedom in the north."

Glenn Marais: Ride on the Mojo Train

Canada-based Glenn Marais and the Mojo Train are a blues rock band known for their powerful and dynamic sound that seamlessly blends grace and beauty. Their music takes listeners on a journey through the Mississippi Delta, with stops at Detroit, Motown, and the funky sounds of Philadelphia. With their unique styles deeply rooted in the blues, the band’s original compositions are a testament to their exceptional musical talents. Every performance is a high-energy experience that leaves the audience feeling like they’re at a sold-out stadium show. The band comprises Juno-nominated songwriter Glenn Marais on guitar and vocals, bassist Manny De Grandis, keyboardist Jesse Karwat of I Mother Earth, and drummer Jeff Saulnier. Known for their love of playing and jamming, Glenn Marais and the Mojo Train have a knack for taking songs in new and exciting directions.

(Glenn Marais and the Mojo Train / Photo by Matt Tibbo)

The band are hard at work completing their new record for a summer 2023 release and recently won the IBC Road to Memphis contest, with the International Contest in Memphis taking place during Jan 2024. Glenn Marais and the Mojo Train released a new record titled, “Red, Hot, and Blue” (2024).

Interview by Michael Limnios                    Special Thanks: Sarah French Publicity

How has the Blues and Rock Counterculture influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

Blues has always been true rebel music, a clarion call for justice and the stories of black musicians from the south, their struggles, joys and triumphs and search for freedom in the north.

We have embraced that rebellion in our music and songwriting and also the joy and struggle of the human spirit. It lives in us and is reflected in our sound and view on life. We use our music to help or community and young musicians and we use it to voice our views on the world.

When did the idea of band come about? What is the story behind band’s name: Mojo Train.

Manny and I formed a band over 20 years ago based on a mutual love of Creem and Hendrix and Zeppelin and all of the blues artists who influenced them, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Elmore James are big influences and so many more. We wanted a band that could flex and groove but had the connection of great songwriting that we loved interwoven into the blues grooves we loved. With the addition of Jeff Saulnier of drums who is a brilliant technician and musician and Jesse Karwat on keyboards who is a musical force we had  the perfect band for what we wanted to do and accomplish. We are brothers of the stage, and they are all brilliant musicians who love to play and create music as a unit in the moment. The band all contribute creatively to the original songs and arrangements.  The Mojo Train is how we describe what happens when we play together. We bring the power and fury of a steam train thundering down the tracks. That’s our goal for every single show we do.            (Glenn Marais / Photo by Matt Tibbo)

"We have embraced that rebellion in our music and songwriting and also the joy and struggle of the human spirit. It lives in us and is reflected in our sound and view on life. We use our music to help or community and young musicians and we use it to voice our views on the world." 

How do you describe your sound, music philosophy and songbook Where does your creative drive come from?

Our sound is blues rock with a deep groove, elements of funk winding in and out, big choruses with meaningful and connective lyrics ranging from the human experience to our world view. Our philosophy is best described by our name and mantra “Catch a Ride” on the Mojo Train. When we play live and in the studio, we unleash an intense and dynamic sound and interplay that comes from a love of creating musical moments within a dynamic structure. We are not a jam band, but we love to take songs out on the edge and see what happens. When we play we pull the audience into that explosion of sound and dynamic sensibility.  I’ve always written songs from the moment I started playing and have a deep passion for songwriting and creating original music. I want our music to make people feel, dance and be inspired.

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I think we miss the impact of albums crafted to take you on a musical journey, that allowed for a lot of creative freedom that is lacking in today’s music. The formulation and exploitation of modern music has significantly impacted the creative elements of music that we loved growing up. The individuality that was expressed in look and sound seems to have been reduced to looks only and lacking in sound quality. That is the general outlook as there are still great bands and music out there, but they aren’t getting the support from the industry.  Hopes for the future for us are to become a touring band on the festival circuit in North America and ideally globally. We want to play to bigger audiences and our band thrives on a bigger stage. The greatest fear is a continuation of this cycle of stylistic reduction and synthesis of creativity into formulated product and the continued exploitation of the musicians that are the source of the market that fuels the industry itself. It’s an insane form of market cannibalism that is impacting musicians ability to make a living doing what they love.

"We have always believed that music can change the world and that it is not an ideology but an inherent reality. We love the music of the change makers, Marley, Lennon, the blues artists who sang against oppression, and sang for civil rights. A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke is one we love to play." (Glenn Marais and the Mojo Train / Photo by Matt Tibbo)

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

We were in Memphis recently for the IBC 2024 and the first night, we got to play at a Canadian Showcase. We wanted to deliver and have a great time while doing it. Our goal was to go in and blow the roof off the Rum Boogie Cafe on Beale Street and we came out on fire. Afterwards we were hanging out and in the moment of having a great night on stage and being ready for the competition. It felt good to hear the amazing feedback from our fellow musicians and new fans. That night, Jesse, Jeff and Manny jammed all night and the feeling of playing in the heartland of the blues is something we will never forget. There was a deep magic and mojo to every moment on stage down there. Definitely a defining moment for us as a band.

What is the impact of music on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

We have always believed that music can change the world and that it is not an ideology but an inherent reality. We love the music of the change makers, Marley, Lennon, the blues artists who sang against oppression, and sang for civil rights. A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke is one we love to play. We write songs that reflect our beliefs, we have written a song for Martin Luther-Don’t keep your head down-speaking to the power of non violent resistance and we have enough songs for an ep of protest music that we want to release in the future. Music can change the world. It is powerful and resilient that way and we want people to leave our shows not just moved and lifted but also inspired to do more, learn more and speak out against injustices.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

I think number one is perseverance and persistence and trusting your band mates. We have worked hard and never given up on what we what to achieve and have done more this year by empowering and recognizing the unique talents and personalities of each of our band mates. We are a much stronger collective now and are operating like a business which has been our goal since 2019.

"I think we miss the impact of albums crafted to take you on a musical journey, that allowed for a lot of creative freedom that is lacking in today’s music."

(Glenn Marais / Photo by Matt Tibbo)

Do you think there is an audience for Blues/Rock music in its current state? or at least a potential for young people to become future audiences and fans?

I believe blues music to have one of the largest and most devoted audiences in the world. Blues fans are passionate and will follow and support you for life. The community is incredibly supportive and there are opportunities all over the world to play at festivals and community events on all levels. Like anything blues needs a crossover artist like Stevie Ray Vaughan to engage a wider audience. There are a lot of up and coming young blues musicians and great bands out there doing it. It’s in the songs that you write and the style you create that will determine the range of your reach. Combine that with a killer live show and the potential is limitless and that is our goal. To have a global reach and bring our music and energy to people all over the world. We’ve always believed in big goals. It’s the drive in our lives that pushes us to constantly improve and work hard for our goals.

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