Todd Wolfe is a heavy blues guitar slinger. He was the lead guitarist in Sheryl Crow's band 1993-1998, and then he led the Todd Wolfe Blues Project, and here is a solo disc. There are a lot of things to like about this disc--some of it seems to echo Santana, some of it echoes Leslie West circa Mountain, some of it sounds like Cream. In tone and style of guitar, this disc also reminds me a little of Albert Castiglia's latest, "These Are The Days." (see my review of Albert's disc on this blog in 2007.) Both discs feature good fretwork, lots of original songs, good backing bands. They are both well worth buying. The drumming by Dave Hollingsworth III here is a highlight throughout. Suavek Zaniesienko plays bass, keeping things full in the bottom, and Michael Fossa plays keyboards with taste and restraint. There are guest appearances on "Borrowed Time" by Leslie West, Susan Cowsill, Mary Hawkins. Susan Cowsill adds distinctive backing vocals on "California," a song co-written by Sheryl Crow. Mary Hawkins sings on "If This is Love," which is terrific--one of the best songs here. Wolfe's slide guitar work had me smiling and thinking of Ronnie Earl. "Baby I'm Down" has a southern rock, Allman Brothers Band feel. "You're Not The Only One" has a Cream vibe, with heavy echo on the vocals and very sweet guitar work. Wolfe tackles the Peter Green Fleetwood Mac tune "Oh Well" and does it quite well, with a train-pulling-into-the-station ending. The other cover here is Howling Wolf's song "Who's Been Talking," and I think the master would approve of this take.Taken all together, this is a very good disc. If I gave stars, this one would be a 5 star disc. I'm excited about Todd Wolfe. He can play guitar great and he sings really well, and the future looks bright. This disc is on Blues Leaf Records. - By & © Bruce Edwards - Posted By Bruce to The Sunday Night Blues Project at 9/15/2008 03:58:00 PM © 2003–2009 PunBB. http://forum.jbonamassa.com/viewtopic.php?id=7762
Todd Wolfe is a true triple threat. His jaw-dropping guitar skills are well known, but he's also a soulful singer who writes a great song. Case in point: the frenetic title track to Borrowed Time. With the help of his talented bandmates (check out Michael Fossa's wild piano), Wolfe draws you in with a groovy riff, catchy lyrics,and high-flying guitar. Other fine Wolfe originals include the somber "Cold Black Night," where Fossa weaves a spooky organ backdrop as Wolfe moans the lyrics and wails on guitar, and the cheerfully funky "Ready for Love," capped by one of Wolfe's soaring guitar flights. The slow-rocking "California," which Wolfe co-wrote with his former boss, Sheryl Crow, tells a tale of the cold reality behind the West Coast's warm seductiveness. (The backup singer sounds a bit like Crow, but it's fellow pop veteran Susan Cowsill.) "If This Is Love" features a stunning vocal by Mary Hawkins as Wolfe's stately guitar sings along. Howlin' Wolf's "Who's Been Talkin" receives a samba beat, the groove anchored by drummer Dave Hollingsworth and bassist Sauvek Zaniesienko. Felix Pappalardi's "Baby I'm Down" features Pappalardi's old Mountain bandmate, Leslie West, on lead guitar and vocals. Frequent collaborators, Wolfe and West sound great singing together. Military drums, Ed Canova's understated bass, and Wolfe's slide set up the track and take it home perfectly.Equally effective are Wolfe's mournful slide and vocal and Rich Frikkers' heartbeat drumming on "You're Not The Only One." © Kay Cordtz - Blues Revue Issue 117 APR/MAY 2009 © 2014 http://www.livebluesworld.com/forum/topics/todd-wolfe-cd-review
The Queens, New York guitarist Todd Wolfe’s music has been described as “bluesadelic rock”, and Todd explains that, “I penned “Bluesadelic” and would sometimes add the word “rock” or “jam” in essence we play rock the way it was played or established from approximately 1966 to 1972.We called it “rock” back then whether it was Cream, Grateful Dead, Cactus, Jimi Hendrix, Hot tuna, etc. Ya know, there were different ways of jamming as the bands mentioned above along with others such as Allman Brothers, Mountain, The Who, The Rolling Stones and many others, having their own style of jamming. Unfortunately now it seems that “jam” is more Dead or Phish and the style we play is thought of as more “blues” and naturally, the blues guys will hear us and say, “that’s rock”! There seems to be more of a compartmentalization or rigid categorization of music these days then there was back in the 60’s and 70’s so, I gave it that name to state that we have a blues foundation, can jam and rock in a way similar to sixties bands”. When asked, “what aspect of the music industry appeals to you most? What would you most like to see changed?”, Todd said “Hmm, I reckon the community of musicians/writers appeals to me most and definitely not the business of music! Better conditions and pay for the musicians out in the trenches, the larger body of less successful musicians scratching and scraping to just to get by and pay bills!” Since leaving Sheryl Crow's band, Todd has been gaining popularity as a solo artist and guitarist in North America and Europe, especially in Germany where he has toured extensively since 2001. Over the years he has opened for some of the biggest names in music including, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Peter Frampton, Johnny Winter, Allman Brothers, Buddy Guy, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. There’s a lot of bands out with far less talent who should be opening for him! “Borrowed Time” is packed full of great guitar playing and vocals and the songs are really well composed. Todd wrote or co-wrote six of the albums ten tracks with covers of Peter Green’s classic ”Oh! Well”, and Chester Burnett’s “Who's Been Talking”. He also plays a cover of Felix Pappalardi & Gail Collins Pappalardi’s “Baby I’m Down” which can be heard on Leslie West’s 1969 “Mountain” album. A great album and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Read more @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Wolfe Buy his “Delaware Crossing” album and support blues rock at it’s best [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 119 Mb]
TRACKS / COMPOSERS
1 Tears Of Rage - T.Wolfe & S.Bryan 6:38
2 Ready For Love - T.Wolfe 4:31
3 Cold Black Night - T.Wolfe 5:43
4 Baby I'm Down - F. Pappalardi & G.Collins 5:19
5 You're Not The Only One - M.Lawrence & J.J.McGean 3:45
6 California - S. Crow & T. Wolfe 4:23
7 Oh Well - P.A. Green 5:23
8 Who's Been Talking - C. Burnett 5:50
9 If This Is Love - T.Wolfe & J.Stark 6:04
10 Big Nose Kate (Borrowed Time) - T.Wolfe 5:12
MUSICIANS
Todd Wolfe - Electric, Acoustic, & Slide Guitar, Vocals
Leslie West - Guitar, Vocals
Rob Fraser, Suavek Zaniesienko - Bass
Tad Wadhams - Bass, Vocals
Michael Fossa - Organ, Piano, Wurlitzer
Rich Frikkers, Dave Hollingsworth - Drums
Susan Cowsill, Mary Hawkins, Nick Pierone, Michelle Glass - Vocals
BIO
Todd began playing on the New York scene back in 1979 with his band Nitetrain, a trio that clearly reflected Todd's influences-60s bands like Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac and other bluesy-rocking-jamming bands. The wave of guitar players that included Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Bloomfield were and are influential and evident in Todd's style and approach to guitar-playing. His next venture was Troy & the Tornados, a band based in the New York metro area. Todd met two women in this time period that would eventually play a part in his guitar-playing and song-writing experience: Carla Olson of the Textones and Sheryl Crow, at the time an unknown back-up singer. By the late '80s, Sheryl had sat in several times with the Tornados in New York City. Eventually Todd decided to fly to Los Angeles and write with Sheryl and showcase their new band in hopes of a record deal. Nothing came of this particular venture, but these two would find each other again on the same stage just a few years up the road! After relocating to Los Angeles with a revamped line-up, Todd began to perform in clubs in southern California, while also scoring music for the Playboy Channel and connecting with old friend Carla Olson and her latest band. But it wasn't long before Todd was back with Sheryl Crow, who had just completed her about-to-be-released debut album, the multi-platinum Tuesday Night Music Club. Crow needed a touring band, including a lead guitarist that could add some extra excitement to the live shows, and Todd filled that role from 1993 until 1998. Todd eventually went on to form several bands, including a talented bunch dubbed MojoSon that were signed to A & M Records and included alumni of Sheryl's band along with alumni of Sun 60 and Five for Fighting. With parent companies swapping ownership of A & M Records, the MojoSon album sadly was never released. Always active, always playing, Todd has never slowed down. Todd has had many excellent partnerships with fine musicians from coast to coast. Todd has also worked as a duet with famed Mountain guitarist Leslie West, touring and recording on two of Leslie's solo albums as well as recording on Mountain's tribute to Bob Dylan, "Masters of War" album! Todd is especially proud of his current lineup with Roger Voss on drums and Justine Gardner on bass. Roger is a powerful pocket drummer. The young Ms. Gardner plays a deep groove. And they both back Todd on soulful vocals. This lineup recorded Todd's upcoming summer release “Miles to Go,” his eighth album since departing Sheryl's band. The new album is mostly originals that range from swampy grooves to all-out rockers and even a wistful ballad from which the title of the album was derived called, I Stand Alone. The band was joined by John Ginty (keyboards), Steve Guyger (harmonica) and Sweet Suzi (backing vocals). The Todd Wolfe Band is keeping busy with tours criss-crossing North America and Europe through 2013! The Todd Wolfe Band recall the days when "Men were men and amps were amps," real tubes crackling with a bluesadelic sound reminiscent of the best rock and roll bands of the '60s. This band jams and rocks, but their music is deeply soaked in blues. Todd Wolfe, Roger Voss and newcomer, bassist Justine Gardner have established themselves as one of top power trios by relentless touring and spreading their legend from coast to coast and beyond. Hittin' the Note magazine, “Imagine some power trio mixed into a Texas blues foundation and overlaid with trippy psychedelia ... that’s the essence of Wolfe’s music.” And the essence of the Todd Wolfe Band. © http://www.toddwolfe.com/todd.html#bio
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