Band

 

Todd Wolfe

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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. 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.

More About Todd

 

 

Justine Gardner

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Justine has been a musician since she was 7 years old, playing piano, clarinet, until she found her groove on the electric bass. Justine has played in the New Jersey and Boston areas since 2002. She attended Berklee College of Music and graduated in 2009. She was privileged to study under bass greats: Anthony Vitti, Whit Browne, Matt Garrison and Oscar Stagnaro. At Berklee she cut her teeth on blues, playing with drummers Scoop Davis, Duke Kelly, Dan Bunge and master guitarist Gregg Miller in the Boston blues circuit.

She is heavily influenced by Flea, Anthony Vitti, Tommy Shannon, Ben Shepherd and Tim Commerford. Her musical tastes range from the Beatles, Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Audioslave, Chris Cornell and, Danny Arango and Matt Fiorino, from her former band, Root Spirits. Bass Guitar was the only instrument she enjoyed practicing. She has 1972 Fender jazz bass and says, “I can’t imagine my main instrument ever being anything but a vintage j-bass” and when you see the slim figure of Justine with her favorite “jazz” bass that’s almost as big as her you’ll know why she still earns her grade-school nickname of “Bean” She’s an unusual young woman, her background is African American, Spanish, German, French and Irish, a mini United Nations. She’s a Gemini and warns that she has many sides to her personality. Justine is a gifted musician with a strong musical personality and a cool and professional stage presence. Her talent, influences and multidimensional background will take her far.

 

 

Roger Voss

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Roger grew up in Orange County New York where he started developing his hard hitting John Bonham style and power funk groove style of Tony Thompson, along with an accent of the subtleties of Steve Gadd. This combo of qualities in one drummer fuels his accomplished reputation as a ‘master of his craft’. A lifelong student of the drums, Roger has studied with world renowned drummers such as Joe Morello(Dave Brubeck) John Riley(Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) and Gary Chaffee.

Roger has led regional and local bands over the years and has toured with various rock groups including Jel, Judy Saiya, and Scott Weis Band. Among his many projects Roger has also shared the stage with several known artists including soul legend Ben E. King and Jerry Patterson(Gladys Knight and the Pips). Roger has been a member of Todd Wolfe Band since November 2008.