BIO:
The Todd Wolfe Band recall the days when “men were men and amps were amps,” real tubes crackling with a blues-adelic 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 new-comer, bassist Justine Gardner have established themselves as one of top power trios by relentless international touring and spreading their legend from coast-to- coast and beyond.
Todd Wolfe born and raised in Forest Hills, Queens, an area of New York City renowned for its musical diversity, with alumni ranging from Burt Bacharach and The Ramones to Leslie West and Simon & Garfunkel. Like most musicians of that time, the music bug really bit with the appearance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show and Todd’s fascination with the sounds emanating from the guitars of George Harrison and John Lennon. This fascination grew with the onslaught of the “British Invasion,” and bands such as The Animals, Dave Clarke Five, Yardbirds and The Rolling Stones. With the second wave of the British Invasion and the sounds of Eric Clapton and Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and other British guitar players such as Peter Green, Mick Taylor and Jeff Beck, as well as American guitarists like Johnny Winter, Mike Bloomfield and Leslie West, Todd got the guitar playing bug. At 13, he purchased his first guitar, a Dakota red Fender Mustang and the rest is history!.
From playing in garage bands, doing gigs at local parties and participating in “battle of the bands” events. eventually Todd put together his first "club" band, Nitetrain. That first year, the band opened for Albert Collins, Dickey Betts and Walter “Wolfman” Washington.
In the ‘80s, Todd formed Troy & the Tornados, and they opened for many acts including, Gregg Allman, The Outlaws, Dickey Betts, Johnny Winter, Robin Trower and The Neville Brothers, doing shows in the New York metro area. Todd also met two women in this time period that would eventually play a part in his guitar playing experience: Carla Olson of the Textones and Sheryl Crow, who at the time was an unknown back-up singer. By the late ‘80s, Sheryl had sat in several times with Todd in New York City after being introduced to him by the man who would eventually manage both of them. Todd decided to fly out 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.
Todd decided to re-locate to Los Angeles with revamped line-ups and began to perform in small clubs in southern California while also scoring music for the Playboy Channel and eventually joined up with old friend Carla Olson and her latest band. But it wasn’t long until Todd was back with Sheryl Crow, as she had just completed her soon 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 for almost five years, touring the world several times and opening concerts for legends like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, Plant & Page, Elton John and others.
After Todd left Sheryl's band he had a varying lineup of players including Eric Massimino, Michael Lawrence, Rich Pagano, Dave Hollingsworth and other players of merit to where he settled in with the current lineup of Roger Voss on drums and Suavek Zaniesienko on bass. This lineup recorded Todd's sixth release since leaving Sheryl's band, "Stripped Down at The Bang Palace". The band has kept busy with tours of Europe and across the USA.
In the summer of 2010, the band decided to record and film a concert one night under a full moon over Quakertown, Pennsylvania, and the results were released January 11th this year as both a CD and companion DVD, "The Todd Wolfe Band Live". On this special night, guitarist Todd Wolfe and bandmates Roger Voss on drums and Suavek Zaniesienko on bass display the power and tightness they have developed over the past two years of constant touring.
Living Blues just said this about the new CD, "A blister-inducing hellride from one of the most aggressive power trios currently putting rubber to road, the Todd Wolfe Band smokes it live, and makes no apologies for the damage."
More about Roger and Justine:
ROGER VOSS 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.
Justine Gardner 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.
Justine has saddled up with the band just this fall of 2011 and we wish her a great ride
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