Maurice “Big Mo” Huffman was born in Germany in 1960 to a U.S. G.I. father and German mother. He lived in Georgia and Indiana from age 1-6 then moved back to Germany with his parents and 3 brothers. Influenced by the G.I. AFN radio station and by his mom taking him to concerts (Ray Charles etc) at a young age he soon joined a school choir and discovered his love for singing. At the age of 14 he joined his first band - a Southern Rock band. He formed the Alliance Hi band with his friends in 1979 and they wrote and performed all original Southern Rock and Blues music all over Germany and released a record in 1981. He then turned to classical music and was trained by an Italian opera teacher for a few years. In 1989 he moved to California with his new wife and took a brief break from music to raise his son and build a new life in America. He met his neighbor Scott Shaw who became an instant friend, and turned out to be a collaborator, sound engineer great guitarist and cofounder of the band PlanB. Together with Scott and Amy Grayson (R.I.P) they wrote a whole album worth of songs and released a CD. Scott Shaw was not only a great engineer but an awesome song writer and producer and worked on most of Mo's recordings. Later after joining and learning from some country and blues acts in California Big Mo soon started writing music and formed the Big Mo & The Full Moon Band. In 2004 he won a prestigious Best Blues Band award at the Monterey bay Blues festival where he performed for 5 years in a row alongside many greats like Billy Preston, James Brown, Ruth Brown and many more. He won the Cammie Award for best Blues Band 8 years in a row and added a horn section to his lineup. His songwriting is a soulful mix of Blues, Southern Rock and Funk. His longtime friend Steve Valine on pedal steel adds a touch of country to his ballads and his friend Richard Moore (R.I.P.) added some great rock sounds to the band for many years. His horn section includes the great Don Bowman on sax and flute. He is a graduate of the Boston Berkley school of music and a highly talented musician and Eric “fantastic” Weber on saxophone a very talented energetic horn player. Patrick Hilton on trumpet who spent many years in the US Navy band honing his trumpet skills. Jeff Rosso on bass (former member of Charlie Musselwhite) an amazing groove machine, Terry Thorne on drums a long time friend and talented rhythm creator. Other players that join Big Mo for various shows include Volker Strifler on guitar, Lazy Lester Johnson harmonica/vocals (R.I.P.),  Matt Christensen on bass, Webster Moore on keyboardsKevin Hayes on drums, Martin Gerschwitz on keys/vocals, Aman Cowell on trumpet, Bob Littell on harmonica,  Ben Sallmann on trombone, Bruce McMillan on guitar, Sid Walker on fiddle, Steff Bollack on drums, Claus Bubik on bass,  Peter Antony on keys, Scott Shaw on guitar,  Doc Ritchie on bass, Joshua Hegg on keys, Wolfy Ziegler on bass, Uli Rhode on pedal steel and guitars. Big Mo’s sound is always fun energetic and soulful. A mixture of Funk, Blues, Southern Rock and Ballads. Music for all ages. He has released 4 CD’s and two vinyl's. He has also released a book "Jake & The Hot Air Balloon" you can find on Amazon. Sadly, he lost all of his recordings and stock of merchandise in the recent Camp Fire. His studio and home were located in Paradise Ca and were all destroyed by the Camp fire. You can download his music online while he rebuilds the merchandise.

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Big Mo has a wonderful big band sound rooted deeply in the blues. He performs all original tunes with a powerful voice and tasty bluesy guitar. His new CD "Torn" is selling worldwide and Big & The Full Moon Band perform regularly in Europe. Big Mo has also always loved certain styles of Country and those influences are heard on his CD Torn. Big Mo has no record label. He is working on his own. It is hard to label him with a certain genre. He has enough Blues originals to do pure shows but as you will hear on Torn he also has some great Pop and Country tunes even going to latin and Jazz. He calls all of those genre his home and each one of his original tunes have the unmistaken "stomach" feel as Big Mo calls it. Music from the stomach and soul. He has a great soulful voice and always performs with a great smile.

Winner of the prestigious Monterey Bay Blues Festival Battle of the Blues Band 2004.. Winner of the Sylphie Award "Musician of the Year" 2005.. Winner of the Cammie Award "Best Blues Band" 2006. Winner of the Cammie Award "Best Blues Band" 2007.. Winner of the Cammie Award "Best Blues Band" 2008.. Winner of the Cammie Award "Best Blues Band" 2009.. Winner of the Cammie Award "Best Blues Band" 2010 .

Mo is a great singer and guitar player. He will come and "Mo' you down", Norton Buffalo. "I like his style and enjoy his music a lot. I am looking forward to joining Big Mo for many gigs to come" Lazy Lester, Blues Legend. " Rolldown your sleeves: Good Rhumba clever chorus and hook tasteful slow section, tasteful duet with Lester on New Orleans, tasteful blues with horns and big production style on Mistaken, " Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records. "The professionalism with which Big Mo and his band conducted themselves was only exceeded by the performance they delivered to win the 2004 Battle of the Blues Bands. We look forward to their return" Martin Puentes, Executive Manager of Monterey Bay Blues Festival. Name: Peter Merrett, PBS FM 106-7 Australia Hi all at Himmel Street records thank-you for the cd .."Torn..". We have been blown away with what we consider one of the very best Blues cd..'s of the year. Hey Big Mo we love your sound, your band, your songs and choice of guest. This is seriously one kicking album. As we do tip-sheets every week your Cd made number two spot only just knocked out by the new Koko Taylor Cd. This is not saying your's isn't as great , quite to the contrary we have played it over and over in the office before we allocate to the show Jumping The Blues.

Check out our web site to view the tip-sheet. Once again thank-you from all of us Blues-aholics down-under all of whom will soon know who you are. Regards Peter. Hailing from Paradise, California,Big Mo & The Full Moon Blues Band have a considerably more uptown sound,with a soul feel creeping in as a result of slick charts from Eric Weber(sax) and Patrick Hilton (trumpet). Smooth cuts "Shine", "You know me ",and "Talk about it" come close to 70's Pop,while "B-Boy" incorporates Latin influences. But Mo ( Maurice Huffman guitar and vocals) keeps the ship mostly on course with straightforward,slide -driven blues on "Torn", New orleans-inspired "Roll down my sleeves," rollocking roadhouse rockers like "Try to do it all" and "Just for Fun," and the dynamic, big-band slow blues "Mistaken." A mixed bag, the self -released Torn boasts high production values and thoughtful songwriting and arranging. Review by Tom Hyslop Blues Revue Magazine www.bluesrevue.com.

Big Mo, blues vocalist/guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire and leader of Big Mo and The Full Moon Band. Mr. Mo has just released his second album, Torn, containing 16 simmering, smoky, slithering and smooth tracks of traditional blues, some country, Southern-style rock and pop, a little Santana-style latin influence, jazz-blues, funk, folk, powerful vocals & lyrics and top flight musicianship. Big Mo has assembled an excellent and complementary cast of players and as a result, the current incarnation of The Full Moon Band is out of this world. Guest players include New Orleans' vocals and harmonica legend Lazy Lester, adding to the album's soulful core and down-home textures. What's especially enthralling about Torn is the delightful mix of moods, sounds, emotions, and energy that offer something for every musical taste. Big Mo's career will surely take flight with this CD release. 

Influences

Ray Charles Muddy Waters Allman brothers James Taylor Tommie Harris and many more
Sounds Like… I have my own style its a mix of Blues Southern Rock Rock and Country

REVIEWS

Full Circle

By O'Niell Chico News & Review

Big Mo sits high atop the pantheon of German-born, Paradise-based bluesmen. His local fan base is broad and enthusiastic, but he's developed the chops that have spread his reputation far and wide, allowing him to draw avid audiences when he returns to tour his homeland where blues fans are as easy to find as they are here. I once had the pleasure of sitting in on an evening of rehearsal at Big Mo's studio, and what was apparent then was that Mo and the band are engaged in a labor of love, love that's in evidence on these 16 songs featuring a roster of solid local musicians. A few out-of-town ringers were also brought in, like Carlos Reyes on violin and the estimable Volker Strifler lending brilliant guitar support to Big Mo's own impressive licks. If I had to pick a favorite here, it would probably be 'Shall Time Only Tell,' featuring a really soulful Strifler guitar intro. I also liked the reggae-based 'Caribbean,' and Reyes' sweet violin on 'Sway Me.'

Jamie, O'Niell Chico News & Review

2010 Fire on the Mountain Festival

By ThebluesBlast.com

One of the best dance and “big band” soul and blues sets was Big MO and The Full Moon Band with Carlos Reyes and Volker Strifler. Big MO (Maurice Huffman) decided one day (so I heard) to put together a blues band and this was IT – he …did a great job! Volker Strifler (guitar) has his own blues band and was just a headliner at two earlier festivals so to see him as part of this group was a treat. And Carlos was everywhere – later to be seen with Roy Rogers. The rest of the band included Eric Weber (sax), Hal Race (Drums) Patrick Hilton (trumpet), Steve Valine (pedal steel), Terry Smith (keys), and the bass player David Matson. They packed the bulding!

Marilyn Stringer The Blues Blast Magazine.

PBS FM 106
Australia

By Peter Merrett 04/12/07

Name: Peter Merrett, PBS FM 106-7 Australia Hi all at Himmel Street records thank-you for the cd \"Torn\". We have been blown away with what we consider one of the very best Blues cd\'s of the year. Hey Big Mo we love your sound, your band, your songs and coice of guest. This is seriously one kicking album. As we do tip-sheets every week your cd made number two spot only just knocked out by the new Koko Taylor cd. This is not saying yourr s is great as quite to the contrary we have played it over and over in the office before we allocate to the show Jumping The Blues. Check out our web site to view the tip-sheet. Once again thank-you from all of us Blues-aholics down-under all of whom will soon know who you are.regards Peter.

"Blues Revue" Magazine

By Tom Hyslop 03/06/07

Hailing from Paradise,California,Big Mo & The Full Moon Blues Band have a considerably more uptown sound,with a soul feel creeping in as a result of slick charts from Eric Weber(sax) and Patrick Hilton (trumpet). Smooth cuts "Shine", "You know me ",and "Talk about it" come close to 70's Pop,while "B-Boy" incorporates Latin influences. But Mo ( Maurice Huffman guitar and vocals) keeps the ship mostly on course with straightforward,slide -driven blues on "Torn", New orleans-inspired "Roll down my sleeves," rollocking roadhouse rockers like "Try to do it alll" and "Just for Fun," and the dynamic, big-band slow blues "Mistaken." A mixed bag, the self -released Torn boasts high production values and thoughtful songwriting and arranging. Review by Tom Hyslop Blues Revue Magazine. www.bluesrevue.com


ASD Magazine

By Mark Hawer ASD magazine March 2007

Maurice Huffman, proprietor of industry surplus supplier Swiss-Link in Paradise, California, also enjoys a surplus of identities. Maurice is also Big Mo, blues vocalist/guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire and leader of Big Mo and The Full Moon Band. Mr. Mo has just released his second album, Torn, containing 16 simmering, smoky, slithering and smooth tracks of traditional blues, some country, Southern-style rock and pop, a little Santana-style latin influence, jazz-blues, funk, folk, powerful vocals & lyrics and top flight musicianship. Big Mo has assembled an excellent and complementary cast of players and as a result, the current incarnation of The Full Moon Band is out of this world. Guest players include New Orleans' vocals and harmonica legend Lazy Lester, adding to the album's soulful core and down-home textures. What's especially enthralling about Torn is the delightful mix of moods, sounds, emotions, and energy that offer something for every musical taste. Big Mo's career will surely take flight with this CD release, so we can all say "we knew him when." Maybe a Mo-mentum tour with Keb'Mo' is in the works?

The Orion Online

By Kenna Hunt September 2007

The rock 'n' roll blues group Big Mo & the Full Moon Blues Band had people dancing in the aisles as a more relaxed crowd came out to enjoy the first full day of the Chico World Music Festival. Shouts and cheers filled the room and gave the performance a more intimate quality as listeners young and old packed Laxson Auditorium on Saturday afternoon.

Slowing things way down with raw, emotional blues lyrics and then picking the mood right back up with rocking bluegrass riffs, Big Mo & the Full Moon Blues Band changed the venue into a smokey Louisiana blues lounge where the music moved people's bodies and meshed their souls with the notes of the guitar.

Lead singer and guitarist Maurice Huffman, or "Big Mo," embraced the crowd's energy and made sure everyone was on their feet swaying their hips to the music before he started another song.