Words and Images: Joseph Murphy

Blues might be a modern niche, but according to the Dan Murphy Trio, once you find it, there’s a whole world waiting for you, with the modern genre growing each day.

“To describe our band in three words, I’d say we’re energetic, bluesy and versatile,” says drummer Sam Bowes. Virtuosic and varied in their style, the group offer up a fresh, youthful take on the age-old genre, bringing a steady fire burning to each gig.

Guitarist and vocalist Dan Murphy, Drummer Sam Bowes and Bassist Fynn Clements all studied jazz at university, “We’re bringing those influences into blues,” says Sam. “It just gives us a different approach to the music.”

Dan explains: “We do a lot of groove-based funk stuff as well, which is a big part of our sound. On top of playing straight-ahead blues, we throw in the odd jazz-inspired or fusion piece, so we’re a mixture of blues, jazz and funk rather than just one style.”

Covering everything from Stevie Wonder to, Stevie Ray Vaughan, to Ray Charles and more, the group built an energy of obviously returning fans, as judged by the amount of merch on the audience.

The Trio are also part of what Dan sees as a wider revival in blues guitar and blues music. “The modern blues industry is in quite a rich place at the moment,” he says. “There are a lot of guys doing what we do, and there’s definitely a bit of a revival going on with blues guitar and that sort of sound. There are loads of players up and down the country, so it’s a really exciting industry to be part of.”

But while the wider blues scene is growing, Sam points out that it can still feel hidden from the mainstream. “I’d say blues is still pretty niche, but once you find it, it suddenly feels massive. There’s this whole community of musicians and listeners that you might not realise is there until you get involved.”

That community is particularly important closer to home. The Trio are enthusiastic about the Essex music scene and the venues helping keep live music moving.

“The Hot Box in Chelmsford is definitely a pillar for all that kind of stuff,” he says. “They put on loads of events that really showcase all these local acts, just like us.”

For Sam, though, there’s still work to be done in bringing new audiences into that scene, especially younger ones: “I’d really like to see more people our age getting into the scene,” he says. “There are so many fantastic musicians around here who are virtually unheard of because people just don’t know about them.”

And there’s plenty of talent to discover. Dan points to the number of young musicians currently honing their craft, citing modern blues guitarist, the young Rhys Stygal as an example. Inspired by the likes of Joe Bonamassa and the classic Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, The Trio share these inspirations and demonstrate the core of the genre, pushing, skilled and unapologetically loud.

For the Dan Murphy Trio, that dedication to musicianship is central to what they do. Their sound might be rooted in blues, but their influences stretch well beyond it. And if Sam is right, all it takes is finding that first groove to discover just how big the blues scene near you truly is.