Colebrook's Kenn Morr Band gets international attention

COLEBROOK — Internationally known musician and Colebrook resident Kenn Morr said this week that he’s happy to be back on the scene with a new CD and an increasing number of premier venues to perform his Americana-inspired blend of acoustic-electric rock, which is quickly growing popular overseas.

A case in point will be Saturday, Nov. 6, at 8 p.m., when the Kenn Morr Band will perform a CD release party at Bridge Street Live, Connecticut’s newest music venue, located at 41 Bridge St. in Collinsville.

In an interview Tuesday afternoon, Morr said his latest album, “Higher Ground,†is a departure from earlier works, in that it features his complete touring band backing him up on all tracks.

“This is the first CD that I’ve made out of the last five that was solely built around my touring band,†Morr said. “All the other CDs featured different musicians — studio musicians — and then I would go play the songs live with a different band. All of the songs on this album were written after I met this band and produced by this band.â€

The band itself features drummer Bob Gaspar, a veteran of the New York and Connecticut classic and southern rock scenes; acoustic-electric bassist and guitarist Dan Hocott, an Indiana native who has performed extensively at Chicago blues clubs and on the West Coast; and fiddler-accordionist Tom Hagymasi. The group’s solid rhythm section and country-tinged fiddle melodies have already become a hit on radio stations in Europe, Morr noted.

“We’re getting played in Europe: Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain and Amsterdam,†Morr said. “And last week I was on WWUH [the University of Hartford’s radio station, 91.3]. We played live during Friday morning drive time and I’ll be back this Friday to talk about the album.â€

In today’s age of digital rhythms and synthesized, auto-tuned vocals, however, it is difficult for a classic-sounding rock band to break into mainstream commercial radio in the United States.

“In Europe it seems to be the DJs and the writers are more open to American music than Americans are,†Morr noted.

Still, Morr said, he is happy to see small and mid-sized venues popping up in Connecticut, in which the owners are dedicated to showcasing great live, original music. Bridge Street Live is a 300-seat house designed with an art deco style.

“It’s a beautiful theater,†Morr noted, adding that Norfolk’s Infinity Hall is another 300-seat venue with an amazing sound system and a focus on original music. “This area is becoming a nice, fertile ground for musical art.â€

Morr said at this point, the touring isn’t about making lots of money or becoming a supergroup — though that probably wouldn’t be bad — but about exposing people to the music.

“Going out and playing gigs just to play gigs isn’t as important to us as playing quality gigs,†he said. “If you see us playing somewhere, it’s because we genuinely want to be there.

The Kenn Morr Band performs Saturday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m., at Bridge Street Live. Tickets are $15 and include a copy of the band’s new CD, “Higher Ground.†For more information, visit 41bridgestreet.com or call 860-693-9762.