Tommy Bolin was the quintessential guitar prodigy who focused his talents within the burgeoning rock/metal scenes of the early 70's as well as mastered a highly lauded jazz fusion technique catching the attention of rock tastemakers and guitar legend peers. It was just a matter of time
before Bolin was making a name for himself playing on projects as diverse as Billy Cobham's "Spectrum" (considered one of the great jazz fusion recordings of all time), replacing Joe Walsh in the James Gang, playing session work on seminal fusion projects by Moxy and Alphonse Mouzon, replacing Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple. The tour of his sophomore solo album "Private Eyes" should have been a red letter moment for Bolin, opening up for Jeff Beck in Miami but sadly turned tragic as Bolin was found dead of a heroin overdose just one day after the gig on December 4th, 1976.
Produced by Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule) and Greg Hampton (Lita Ford, Alice Cooper Band), the album is a unique piece of work: blessed and approved by Bolin’s family, the original multi-tracks of his best songs have been reworked with the contribution of a great group of guest stars.
This makes “Great Gypsy Soul” “3 products in one”:
- A Best Of Bolin Remix: because the original recording of his best songs – his voice and his guitar – never sounded so great, and at the same time still warm like the sound of the seventies.
- A Tribute album: because some of the finest musicians have “jammed” with Bolin, recording superb additional parts.
- A new album: these “new/original” versions have never been released before.
The contribution of the musicians and the production of Greg Hampton and Warren Haynes makes the original recordings come to a new life.
Some of the best rock musicians of the world sang and played on “Great Gypsy Soul”: Glenn Hughes & Joe Bonamassa (solo stars and together in Black Country Communion), Peter Frampton, Steve Morse (Deep Purple), Steve Lukather (Toto), Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), John Scofield, Derek Trucks, Myles Kennedy (Slash, Alter Bridge) and Warren Haynes took the chance to play alongside their friend and hero one more time.
Mainly based on the original “Teaser” album, “Great Gypsy Soul” also features the rework of 2 very rare B-sides (‘Crazed Fandang’”, ‘Smooth Fandango’) and outtakes (‘Sugar Shack‘) from the original recording sessions of “Teaser”. ‘Sugar Shack’ is a song originally intended to appear on “Teaser” but due to Bolin’s sudden death he was never able to finish. Glenn Hughes now “co-wrote with his ex Deep Purple bandmate” while adding fresh vocals and words to create a song that Bolin was never able to bring to an end.
Tracklist
01. The Grind (with Peter Frampton)
02. Teaser (with Warren Haynes)
03. Dreamer (with Myles Kennedy & Nels Cline)
04. Savannah Woman (with John Scofield)
05. Smooth Fandango (with Derek Trucks)
06. People People (with Big Sugar & Gordie Johnson)
07. Wild Dogs (with Brad Whitford)
08. Homeward Strut (with Steve Lukather)
09. Sugar Shack (with Glenn Hughes & Sonny Landreth)
10. Crazed Fandango (with Steve Morse)
11. Lotus (with Joe Bonamassa, Glenn Hughes & Nels Cline)
before Bolin was making a name for himself playing on projects as diverse as Billy Cobham's "Spectrum" (considered one of the great jazz fusion recordings of all time), replacing Joe Walsh in the James Gang, playing session work on seminal fusion projects by Moxy and Alphonse Mouzon, replacing Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple. The tour of his sophomore solo album "Private Eyes" should have been a red letter moment for Bolin, opening up for Jeff Beck in Miami but sadly turned tragic as Bolin was found dead of a heroin overdose just one day after the gig on December 4th, 1976.
Produced by Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule) and Greg Hampton (Lita Ford, Alice Cooper Band), the album is a unique piece of work: blessed and approved by Bolin’s family, the original multi-tracks of his best songs have been reworked with the contribution of a great group of guest stars.
This makes “Great Gypsy Soul” “3 products in one”:
- A Best Of Bolin Remix: because the original recording of his best songs – his voice and his guitar – never sounded so great, and at the same time still warm like the sound of the seventies.
- A Tribute album: because some of the finest musicians have “jammed” with Bolin, recording superb additional parts.
- A new album: these “new/original” versions have never been released before.
The contribution of the musicians and the production of Greg Hampton and Warren Haynes makes the original recordings come to a new life.
Some of the best rock musicians of the world sang and played on “Great Gypsy Soul”: Glenn Hughes & Joe Bonamassa (solo stars and together in Black Country Communion), Peter Frampton, Steve Morse (Deep Purple), Steve Lukather (Toto), Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), John Scofield, Derek Trucks, Myles Kennedy (Slash, Alter Bridge) and Warren Haynes took the chance to play alongside their friend and hero one more time.
Mainly based on the original “Teaser” album, “Great Gypsy Soul” also features the rework of 2 very rare B-sides (‘Crazed Fandang’”, ‘Smooth Fandango’) and outtakes (‘Sugar Shack‘) from the original recording sessions of “Teaser”. ‘Sugar Shack’ is a song originally intended to appear on “Teaser” but due to Bolin’s sudden death he was never able to finish. Glenn Hughes now “co-wrote with his ex Deep Purple bandmate” while adding fresh vocals and words to create a song that Bolin was never able to bring to an end.
Tracklist
01. The Grind (with Peter Frampton)
02. Teaser (with Warren Haynes)
03. Dreamer (with Myles Kennedy & Nels Cline)
04. Savannah Woman (with John Scofield)
05. Smooth Fandango (with Derek Trucks)
06. People People (with Big Sugar & Gordie Johnson)
07. Wild Dogs (with Brad Whitford)
08. Homeward Strut (with Steve Lukather)
09. Sugar Shack (with Glenn Hughes & Sonny Landreth)
10. Crazed Fandango (with Steve Morse)
11. Lotus (with Joe Bonamassa, Glenn Hughes & Nels Cline)
