Bob Wolfman,
Transition
(independent, 2013)


The title of this album is certainly accurate. It captures a man in transition; the only problem is that we can't can't be quite sure what he's transitioning to -- there doesn't seem to be a clear direction.

Jazz guitarist Bob Wolfman plays and sings his way through several genres on this disc, produced by Larry Coryell. There's some straight ahead fusion, some jazz, then he'll throw in a little rock, a little soul and a couple of classics from the great American songbook. If you're a fan, you'll probably love to hear him work out. If you're a newcomer to his music, as I was, you might be a little confused, wondering which guy is going to show up from track to track: the mighty instrumentalist, the guitar hero wonderboy or the laid-back crooner.

The fact is, the man can play and he can write and Larry Coryell certainly knows how to produce a record. But the idea here appears to be to show off everything Wolfman can do, to showcase the variety.

Maybe variety is the spice of life and all that, but I found myself wishing Wolfman hadn't tossed in the entire spice rack.

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Rambles.NET
music review by
Michael Scott Cain


20 July 2013


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