Guitarists who have been tagged as Jimi Hendrix's heir apparent include Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Satriani, but Robin Trower was the first to earn that distinction almost immediately after Jimi's demise. Although Trower's guitar work was a distinctive element in early Procol Harum, he consolidated his sound with his first two solo albums, Twice Removed From Yesterday and Bridge of Sighs. These two efforts' searing fretwork and atmospheric ambiance imparted a new urgency to his brand of the blues and made him a rising star.
But as time went on, Trower's following began to dissipate, as fans passed their allegiance on to a new generation of guitar gods. Still, a brief collaboration with Cream bassist Jack Bruce in the band BLT, a one-off reunion long after the fact with Procol Harum, and his ongoing studio support for Bryan Ferry serve as a reminder that Trower's playing has remained as incandescent as ever. After a spate of new releases issued over the past decade as well as a recent return to the road, Trower now finds himself in the role of venerable, slightly wizened blues man, but happily, no less compelling.