Joe Gransden at The Velvet Note

Joe Gransden will perform two shows (6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.) on Jan. 6 at The Velvet Note. At 38 years old, Gransden has already performed worldwide and released seven CDs under his own name. Renowned first for the hard bop approach of his trumpet, Gransden's singing voice has been compared to that of Chet Baker and Frank Sinatra.

Gransden is from New York and comes from a family full of musicians. Not long after high school, he was on the road as a sideman with the big bands of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. A number of gigs included Barry White, the Moody Blues, Kenny Rogers, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin and The Whispers. Fellow musicians across the country hear a talented trumpet player whose ace in the hole is a well-developed voice.