Joe Louis & The Groove - First Time I Saw You (2024)

Joe Louis And The Groove, Long Islands next up and coming blues band and winners of the 2023 Long Island Blues Challenge. The boys will be heading down to Memphis Tennessee in January 2024 to represent the L.I. Blues Society in the International Blues Challenge!

The bands main focus is to deliver the best of Real Live Blues. Joe likes to keep a lot of things with an old school feel! A touch of simplicity, love, and lots of soul is what you will get out of this group. Their electrifying performance will surely have you on your feet. Some of their major music influences are from Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Albert King, B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Kim Wilson, Otis Rush, Johnny Winter Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, T-Bone Walker, Guitar Slim, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Jeff Healey, Jimi Hendrix, ZZ Hill, Lonnie Mack and Slim Harpo just to name a few!

With this group you’ll hear Joe Louis’s Bright soulful lead Guitar and vocals, Mark Grasso’s powerful bass Guitar playing , Rafael Aguilo’s outstanding precision on the Drums, Gabriel Gomes’ breathtaking Organ & Piano playing, and Joe Poretti’s superb harmonica playing.

The band has been playing Blues together for about 4 years now. Originally the group got its start, soul, and feeling for the Blues from Joes mentor and founding member of the group local Blues legend Mr Mohair Sam Wylie.
Sam has been playing blues for over 50 years with also winning the L.I. Blues Challenge twice in his lifetime! With countless nights during the week as a young man Joe would meet up with Sam to learn the best of the blues playing at local clubs till the wee hours. Each member of this band has learned their own little something about the blues from Mohair Sam Wylie they couldn’t have done it without him.

After being together for a while now Joe Louis And The Groove will be working on finishing their debut album in the next upcoming month’s and couldn’t be anymore excited to share it with the world. The record will feature a handful of originals and a few tributes to the blues greats we all know and love so much.

With this group always be ready for a authentic blues performance filled with passion, love, and lots of energy!