Bob Wolfman
By Mike O’Cull
Ultimate Hendrix aficionado, actual Hendrix friend, and ace guitarist Bob Wolfman does a righteous job paying respects to Jimi’s music and memory on his new release Tribute to a Friend. Set to drop January 14th, 2022, the record is all about Wolfman’s recreations and interpretations of some of the deeper parts of the Hendrix catalog that don’t often see the sunlight like the big hits do. Wolfman eschews the obvious titles and gives us amazing versions of songs that remind us just how broad a body of work Jimi created in his brief career.
Jon Butcher produced these sessions with style and grace and Wolfman was backed in the studio by an impressive cast including guitarist Sonny Landreth (John Hiatt), bassist Mark Egan (Pat Metheny Group, Sting, Gil Evans, Carly Simon, John Mclaughlin, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Osborne), keyboardist Bruce Mattson (Gregg Allman Band, Bob Wolfman Band, Mattson/Medeiros Band), and drummer Barry Lit (Bob Wolfman Band, Steely Dan members). Together, they made an extra-special album that true Jimi fans will find cool and meaningful.
Wolfman had the incredible luck to actually meet and converse with Hendrix when he was a 15-year-old kid hanging out at the legendary Manny’s Music Store on 48th street in midtown Manhattan. They happened to be there at closing time one Friday night when Jimi floated in to talk with the boss about customizing his instruments. In a bold move even for a precocious teen, Wolfman butted into the conversation with some suggestions of his own. The boss wasn’t impressed but Hendrix turned to young Bob and began an in-depth chat about guitar pickups. It went so well that Jimi took Wolfman and the friend he was with down the street for a steak dinner and hangout. Wolfman ended up forging a friendship with Hendrix and communicated with him several times before Jimi departed this world. After Jimi died, Wolfman knew he would someday pay tribute to the groundbreaking guitarist in a personal way that reflected both his influence and their relationship. This record is that tribute.
As Wolfman begins the album with the vibe-filled classic “Angel,” it’s clear how much love he feels for this music and how much time he has put into playing and understanding it. He’s an excellent guitar player who renders Jimi’s work with a stellar tone and a humble spirit, which immediately sets this apart from most tribute records. Wolfman approaches “Angel” in a way that emphasizes its melodic and poetic qualities and will swiftly hook you by the headphones with it.
Wolfman’s take on “Castles Made Of Sand” is wonderfully psychedelic and expertly executed. He plays Jimi’s slippery rhythm parts with conviction and puts the vocal part on top like he was born to this style. His reverse delay solo licks are equally tasty and will put you in a hallucinatory mood. The entire track breathes with life and inner knowledge in a way Jimi would surely approve of if he could hear it. When it comes to Hendrix, Bob Wolfman clearly gets it.
“Come On Baby (Let The Good Times Roll)” rocks hard, channeling the sound that created the idea of blues/rock as we know it. Wolfman and his band are high and tight, putting down a high-toned take on this power trio scripture that flat-out smokes. A pair of Wolfman originals, “Moon Candy” and “Parachute,” let Bob take the music into the future and co-exist with the Jimi tracks quite nicely. All in all, Tribute to a Friend is an outstanding set of guitar music that hits its target dead center. It’s combination of respect and revolution teach us again why the Hendrix legacy will never be extinguished. Tune in and turn on.
Listen to “Come On (Let The Good Times Roll)”
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