Knoxville-based pop/R&B band Gran Torino returns to the Casbah on Thursday in the midst of their “Are You Livin” tour and release of their second album, Gran Torino Two.
“I’m really proud of the record that we’ve made,” said Chris Ford, lead singer/frontman and Knoxville native.
“Our whole thing for 2000 is Gran Torino Two and turnng more people onto our music. A lot of our hopes are wrapped up in the success of this record,” Ford said. “Obviously, we’ve sold a ton of CDs on our own and we sell out shows, but we really want Gran Torino Two to be the breakthrough.”
The new album contains a variety of tunes that blend piano, horns, drums and bass. Songs like “Coup d’etat” feature a horn arrangement and “Are You Livin” blends a classic funk and contemporary feel.
“It’s been a really busy year,” Ford said. “We made Gran Torino Two, which took a long time. We had to work hard to fit to the studio time around all the touring we do.”
Ford describes touring as their “Number 1 thing.”
“The energy is the key,” he said. “We try really hard to convey energy and passion. We want our fans to come out to the show and for a couple of hours to forget their troubles.”
In addition to their large Southern following at their tour stops, Gran Torino is gaining success on the airwaves. Their song, “Moments With You,” the first single off of their studio release Gran Torino Two, was added to rotations on more than 35 commericial radio stations throughout the South.
Ford brings various influences to the band. “As a writer, old Springsteen and Stevie Wonder are big influences of mine,” Ford said. “As a whole, I would say the people in this band are influenced by R&B and a lot of the guys have major jazz influences.”
“I am more of a R&B guy and I’ve brought the gospel and R&B thing to the band,” said Dexter Murphy, keyboardist and trombonist. “Marvin Gaye, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Tower of Power are my influences.”
The band also features Stephen Decker on guitar, Todd Overstreet on bass, Pee Jay Alexander on trumpet, Scot Pederson on trumpet and saxaphone, Whit Pfohl on drums, Jason Thompson on sax and David Heyer on drums.
“This year, we hired David, our second drummer,” Ford said. “He has a full drum set, and a half-synthesized drum kit. There’s a lot of electronic percussion on the new album, so recreating those sounds is part of his job.”
For more information, call 928-0808.

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