"Simply one of the best guitarists in the U.S. today!"
- The Boston Globe
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Bob Wolfman Presents:
Tribute To A Friend
Album Release Party + Concert
Celebrating his long awaited
Jimi Hendrix Tribute Album
At Breakaway | Rte 1 North | Danvers
Hosted by WUMB fm's Holly Harris
SUN | MAR 27 | 5 PM
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221 Newbury Street (Route 1 North) | Danvers | MA 01923
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PRESS RELEASE
Media Contact:
Sue Auclair | 617.359.5771
For Immediate Release:
February 16, 2022
Bob Wolfman Presents:
Tribute To A Friend
Album Release Party + Concert
Celebrating his long awaited
Jimi Hendrix Tribute Album
At Breakaway | Rte 1 North | Danvers
SUN | MAR 27 | 5 PM
Hosted by WUMB fm's Holly Harris
"We left Manny's and headed down the street, and we wound up at a steak house restaurant where Jimi treated us to a great dinner." -Bob Wolfman
BOB WOLFMAN RECALLS A SPECIAL FRIENDSHIP WITH JIMI HENDRIX
& RELEASES LONG-AWAITED ALBUM – TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND
Produced by Grammy®-nominated Jon Butcher & featuring an all-star cast of players
including Jon Butcher, Sonny Landreth, Mark Egan, Ronnie Belben,
Wolf Ginandes & Bruce Mattson
Danvers, MA--Guitarist/singer Bob Wolfman will present Tribute To A Friend, an album release party and concert at the North Shore's leading live entertainment and casual dinner club, Breakaway in Danvers, Massachusetts on Sunday, March 27 at 5 PM. Tickets at $25 (general admission), $50 (reserved table for 2); $100 (table for 4); $150 (table for 6) are on sale now at www.breakawaydanvers.com or by calling 978.774.7270. (All ages are welcome.)
Bob's stellar band for this event will feature keyboardist Bruce Mattson, drummer Barry Lit and bassist Ron Belben.
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Review: Tribute To A Friend
Bob Wolfman
"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."
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REVIEW: Bob Wolfman
“Tribute To A Friend”
"Wolfman successfully manages to run a thread of personality through the music & doesn’t cheapen it; doesn’t dilute it & doesn’t render it bombastic. He’s one of the few musicians who understood what Hendrix tried to achieve through his guitar."
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Bob Wolfman’s ‘Tribute to a Friend’ LP – An Homage to A Great Inspiration
"What he does with his mentor isn’t a retreat, but rather an inspiration."
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HOW BOB MET JIMI HENDRIX:
In the late '60, a young, Bronx-born 15-year-old Bob Wolfman and a drummer friend headed downtown to Manny's Music Store on 48th street in midtown Manhattan on a Friday afternoon after school. They were pretty chummy with most of the sales staff, particularly Mickey, the drum salesman.
Bob's drummer friend and Mickey were chatting about drum equipment. It was closing time, and as the rolling security gates were being pulled down by the staff at the front of the store, salesman Mickey glanced over that way and quite nonchalantly said, "Oh, it's Jimi."
Bob had no clue what or who Mickey was referring to, but then turned his head to look and then did a double-take and realized it was . . . Jimi . . . Hendrix.
Bob recalls, "Jimi just floated all the way to the back of the store where he met up with the store owner, who had a couple of Fender Strats laying across a big glass display counter. They started talking about customizing Jimi's guitars, and being the precocious teenager that I was, I butted in and interjected my own suggestions since I was already customizing pickups on my own Strat. As I recall, the owner tried to ignore me and was somewhat dismissive, kind of like WC Fields with a vibe like 'go away sonny, you bother me . . . you draw flies!'"
"However, Jimi turned to me, and we got into a fairly in-depth discussion about increasing power output on Strat pickups. Jimi then put his hand on my shoulder and we headed to the front of the store, where my friend joined us. We then walked down the street to a local restaurant, and Jimi treated us to a great steak dinner! I was mesmerized by the "EXPERIENCE" of talking to the man who was my biggest inspiration and who became my greatest musical influence throughout my entire life."
"I swore to myself . . . I must have been dreaming!" laughs the Boston musician. Meeting Jimi was a huge, huge thrill for Wolfman. The fact that he had the good fortune to meet his hero even once was pretty amazing . . . but little did he know, the two would connect and converse several times again over a few short years before Jimi died at the tender age of 27.
Described by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music," Bob was completely devastated when Jimi passed, and as his hero's death brought him to tears, he vowed he'd someday pay a tribute to the late, great genius that transfixed the world.
Jimi's innovative techniques and tones were totally groundbreaking, and since then, well, the rest is history – from guitar magazines to musicologists to Sir Paul McCartney to Jeff Beck, all have sung his praises.
"His poetry, his vision, his energy, and his innovative creativity . . . He didn't just revolutionize guitar playing; he revolutionized music. Like Keith Richards said about music in the 1960s—everything changed from black-and-white to Technicolor,"
states Bob Wolfman.
"From the first time I heard Jimi's music, I knew I had to become the best professional guitarist I could be," he continues.
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ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM:
Now, 51 years after Jimi's death, Tribute To A Friend is the Jimi Hendrix-inspired album Bob Wolfman has wanted to make for decades. The album was just released this year, on January 14.
The esteemed Boston-based, Grammy® nominated recording artist Jon Butcher produced the album, after a mutual friend suggested to Bob that the two might collaborate on the project. Recorded at Greater Boston's Mixed Emotion, Bang A Song and Q-Division studios, the two musicians became quite close, despite not having met previously. They shared much respect and appreciation toward one another as well as for Jimi. That essence overflows into the music.
"Ultimately, we feel that Jimi would be proud, and I'm thrilled that I've accomplished one of my most important and major life goals," explains Bob.
"As a strong believer in the importance of the Hendrix legacy," Butcher said, "I'm glad to be involved in creating Bob's album, both as a producer and as a guitarist. I hope everyone who loves Jimi will check it out."
An all-star cast of musicians appears on the album: Louisiana slide guitar master Sonny Landreth; 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).
Wolfman opted to interpret nine of Hendrix's less frequently performed classics; he carefully and selectively chose from Jimi's catalog. Some of the tunes he chose were "Gypsy Eyes," "Freedom," "Angel," "Castles Made of Sand," "You Got Me Floating" and a swinging cover of "Come On Baby (Let The Good Times Roll)," a Sam Theard and Fleecie Moore tune from 1942. He also included two Jimi-inspired original songs, "Moon Candy" and "Parachute.
"Everybody else just screwed it up and thought wailing away is the answer. But it ain't; you've got to be a Jimi to do that, you've got to be one of the special cats."
- Keith Richards
Notes from Bob about some of the songs he chose:
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"Gypsy Eyes" - "This is simply a KICKASS tune with great energy and a very seductive beat!"
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"Freedom" – "It has movements like an opera or symphony, and Jimi's playing is just unbelievable. Incredibly unique, delicious tone and licks; a 'chopsfest' any guitarist will drool over."
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"Angel" - "Jimi could create a total visual experience for the listener (incredible mental imagery and textures) with his sound palettes."
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"Castles Made of Sand" - "Pure poetry - epitomizes the "touch," subtleties, and nuances that ONLY Jimi could produce—certainly not easily replicated. It took me almost six months to feel comfortable enough to record this gem. BUT I'm not even really close to Jimi's execution," exclaims Bob.
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"You Got Me Floating" - "A fun ride all the way through, and we had a lot of fun recording this tune. Notice Jon Butcher's backup vocals, which he totally nailed and exemplifies his skill."
Interpreting Hendrix's passion, sound and incorporating the various musical devices he utilized was a formidable challenge. "Duplicating Jimi's nuance is more challenging than any other guitarist I've ever tried to emulate. Nothing is as challenging as Jimi because it's all about his incredible touch."
But Wolfman has never been better equipped to do the project justice! "When I was in high school and college, I played a lot of Jimi's music," he said. "But now, having had so many more years of experience and training, I have a much deeper level of understanding."
From early on, Bob played recording sessions in Manhattan when he was still a high school student. He later formed his 1980s jazz-fusion band, Elan Vital, and, in the 1990s, he launched the widely touring rock, jazz and blues group, the Bob Wolfman Band. The eclectic list of artists he has performed with includes Chick Corea, Grover Washington, Jr., Joe Beck, Robben Ford, Kenwood Dennard and Victor Bailey, not to mention his key mentor and friend, the late, great Larry Coryell who is one of the key founding fathers and pioneers of jazz/rock fusion.
"Bob Wolfman is a terrific guitarist, but more than that, he is a dynamic musician and an energetic, dedicated educator," Coryell once stated.
Following years of successful performing and teaching, Wolfman is grateful for his past and present and the delivery of this album. "I'm blessed because I've been able to turn my passion, my love, into my livelihood," Wolfman said. "I'm at a great time in my life. I'm excited about Tribute To A Friend and the musicians on the record, and I know people are going to love it when they hear it."
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Bob Wolfman is an incendiary guitarist and vocalist based primarily in and around Greater Boston and New England. He broke ground in the area in the early 1980s with his landmark band, Elan Vital and since the ‘90s, he has received strong recognition and kudos as one of the top players on the East Coast, as leader of The Bob Wolfman Band.
"Simply one of the best guitarists in the U.S. today," The Boston Globe
Bob has performed and/or recorded with many well known artists such as the great jazz guitarist Larry Coryell, the esteemed jazz pianist Chick Corea, legendary jazz saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., jazz guitarist Joe Beck, blues, jazz and rock guitarist Robben Ford, blues guitarist Sonny Landreth, bassist and Weather Report alumnus Victor Bailey, jazz drummer Tommy Campbell, jazz bass guitarist Jimmy Earl, blues singer Toni Lynn Washington, drummer with Pat Martino and Jaco Pastorious bands Kenwood Dennard, guitarist Arlen Roth and the esteemed blues harpist/singer/band leader James Montgomery.
Growing up in New York City, Bob played at hotspots such as The Bottom Line, B.B.King's, Mikell's, Boomer's, Kenny Castaway’s and too many more to list. After his relocation to the Boston area in the late 1970s, Bob performed at the region’s top clubs and concert halls including The House of Blues, Scullers Jazz Club, Johnny D's, Nightstage, Ryle’s Jazz Club, Sandy’s Jazz Revival, Paul's Mall and The Jazz Workshop, Jonathan Swift's, Jack's, Harper's Ferry, The Regent Theatre, The Hatch Shell on Boston’s Esplanade, The FireHouse Center for The Arts, Berklee Performance Center, The Regattabar and The Bull Run.
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Bruce has worked as a live performer and session musician with a wide range of artists including his own jazz/blues ensemble, New Orleans R&B quintet, the Mattson Medeiros Band, funky Texas blues artist Willie J Laws, Allman Brothers Band, drummer and founding member Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, New Orleans R&B saxophonist Dr. Charles Neville, blues rock guitarist Jon Butcher, country artist Keith Urban, pianist Chuck Leavell, and many others.
Inspired by players like Nicky Hopkins, Gregg Allman, Chuck Leavell, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, Bruce shifted his focus to piano and organ in his mid-teens. He studied piano, composition, and music theory . In his early 20s he came under the tutelage of jazz pianist and alto saxophonist Fred Holovnia, developing his skills in the true trial-by-fire tradition by serving as pianist in Holovnia’s bebop-style jazz big band.
In 1988 Bruce entered NEC where he studied keyboards and composition; he graduated with a BM in Composition in 1992.
A chance encounter with the James Booker album New Orleans Piano Wizard LIVE begat a fascination with the ten-fingered New Orleans piano style heard in artists such as James Booker, Professor Longhair, Dr.John, Jon Cleary, and others. His interest quickly developed into an obsession, and lead to the formation of the roots/New Orleans R&B band the Mattson Medeiros Band which still he co-leads with guitarist/vocalist Tony Medeiros.
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"For decades, Ron Belben has been one of the consummate hired guns on the bass in New England; he is my first call bass player with my band for many years and also the main bassist with the band Revolver,” says Bob Wolfman.
Ron’s full time day job is restoring and repairing Corvettes!
Ron started performing when he was 8 years old, but it was on clarinet! He had wanted to play sax but his parents made him learn clarinet. “They just shoved this licorice stick thing into my hands in the early 1960s!” says Ron.
Though he really wanted to play sax, he went through school playing the clarinet. It was not difficult; it came to him easily.
But he was in the high school senior band when the Stones and Beatles came on the scene and like so many other young musicians, he bought a guitar and formed a band that played Beach Boys and Ventures tunes!
In 1967, a friend started a band and he needed a bass player so he bought a $75 Howard bass and took some lessons. He never looked back, he’d found his instrument!
Over the years, Ron played maybe 200 dates every year! Some key gigs were with well known cats like James Montgomery, Johnny A, Charlie Farren and Jon Butcher.
“I love bass because it’s a supportive instrument and I love melodically harmonizing with what Bob Wolfman is doing,” says Ron.
“I don’t think of my self as a great bass player, but I love playing bass because if you’re a bass player, you not only have to play melodically and rhythmically, you have to play so that you’re enhancing what the lead player is doing and I love doing that!”
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Greater Boston-based drummer Barry Lit has had a career of over 40 years in the New England music scene. He started playing drums at the age of 9 and later studied with Dick DiCenso, Gary Chaffee, Alan Dawson, Ed Soph and Quincy Davis. Along with his performance career, he also has experience as a booking agent, bandleader, studio and live music engineer and drum set instructor in the music industry. He received a BA in Music from the School of Music at U. Mass Boston and further studied Jazz Studies at the University at North Texas.
Barry’s career includes live work in a multitude of musical styles that range from jazz, funk, rock, blues, reggae, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and theatrical pit band in groups large and small at venues throughout New England and the Greater Northeast. He is a regular member of the Bob Wolfman Band, No Static (Steely Dan tribute), The 18 piece Roy Scott Big Band, the New Orleans funk and jazz group Tarbone and many more. Of special note is his work with vocalist Lydia Harrell, Steely Dan saxophonist Walt Weiskopf, Steely Dan guitarist Jon Herington and Count Basie Big Band sideman pianist Bobby Floyd.
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