Biography
Tal Wilkenfeld established her standing as an unusually talented bassist already in her early twenties through performances alongside veteran headliners. Her remarkable technique drew notice from Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Jeff Beck, who added her to his group shortly after the 2007 appearance of her first release, Transformation. That album highlighted her command of jazz fusion, yet her follow-up, Love Remains, ventured into an entirely separate realm of alternative rock that deliberately summoned the atmosphere of post-grunge releases from the 1990s. The ease with which she navigated this stylistic detour while retaining the fluency she had shown in fusion further illustrated the breadth of her abilities.
Born in Sydney, Australia, on December 2, 1986, Tal Wilkenfeld grew up in the suburb of Bondi Beach. Music captivated her during her teenage years; at 14 she began playing guitar and composing original material. Two years later she moved to Los Angeles. Once settled in Southern California she shifted her principal focus to bass. After completing her studies at the Los Angeles Music Academy College of Music in 2004, she relocated to New York and became a familiar presence on the city’s jazz-club circuit. Her playing there attracted the interest of Allman Brothers Band members, who invited her onstage during one of their celebrated Beacon Theatre engagements.
Not long after that Beacon performance, Wilkenfeld completed her instrumental debut, Transformation. Rooted in jazz fusion, the record secured her a spot on Chick Corea’s 2007 tour; once it concluded she joined Jeff Beck’s band and appeared on the resulting live album Live at Ronnie Scott’s. She continued working with Beck while also collaborating with other prominent figures, among them Herbie Hancock and guitarist Wayne Krantz, who had contributed to Transformation. Her network widened further in 2009 when she recorded the single “Hot Summer” with Prince.
Throughout the 2010s Wilkenfeld remained part of Beck’s ensemble, receiving credit on his studio album Emotion & Commotion in 2010, while participating in sessions for numerous other major artists. She performed on Herbie Hancock’s The Imagine Project and Lee Ritenour’s 6 String Theory, both issued in 2010, and rejoined Ritenour for Rhythm Sessions in 2012. The following year she played on Steve Lukather’s Transition, an association that led to her appearance on Toto’s 2015 album Toto XIV. Additional guest spots included Ryan Adams’ self-titled 2014 release and Todd Rundgren’s Global in 2015. In 2012 she contributed to Jackson Browne’s Dylan cover “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” for the tribute collection Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan; that partnership continued with her work on Browne’s 2014 album Standing in the Breach.
In 2016 Wilkenfeld issued the single “Corner Painter,” marking her move from instrumental jazz-rock into alternative rock. That same year she served as an opening act on the Who’s The Who Hits 50! Anniversary tour before finishing her next album, Love Remains, which extended the alt-rock direction first signaled by the single. Executive-produced by Jackson Browne and co-produced by Wilkenfeld and Paul Stacey—previously known for work with the Black Crowes and Oasis—Love Remains included appearances by Benmont Tench and Blake Mills.
Born in Sydney, Australia, on December 2, 1986, Tal Wilkenfeld grew up in the suburb of Bondi Beach. Music captivated her during her teenage years; at 14 she began playing guitar and composing original material. Two years later she moved to Los Angeles. Once settled in Southern California she shifted her principal focus to bass. After completing her studies at the Los Angeles Music Academy College of Music in 2004, she relocated to New York and became a familiar presence on the city’s jazz-club circuit. Her playing there attracted the interest of Allman Brothers Band members, who invited her onstage during one of their celebrated Beacon Theatre engagements.
Not long after that Beacon performance, Wilkenfeld completed her instrumental debut, Transformation. Rooted in jazz fusion, the record secured her a spot on Chick Corea’s 2007 tour; once it concluded she joined Jeff Beck’s band and appeared on the resulting live album Live at Ronnie Scott’s. She continued working with Beck while also collaborating with other prominent figures, among them Herbie Hancock and guitarist Wayne Krantz, who had contributed to Transformation. Her network widened further in 2009 when she recorded the single “Hot Summer” with Prince.
Throughout the 2010s Wilkenfeld remained part of Beck’s ensemble, receiving credit on his studio album Emotion & Commotion in 2010, while participating in sessions for numerous other major artists. She performed on Herbie Hancock’s The Imagine Project and Lee Ritenour’s 6 String Theory, both issued in 2010, and rejoined Ritenour for Rhythm Sessions in 2012. The following year she played on Steve Lukather’s Transition, an association that led to her appearance on Toto’s 2015 album Toto XIV. Additional guest spots included Ryan Adams’ self-titled 2014 release and Todd Rundgren’s Global in 2015. In 2012 she contributed to Jackson Browne’s Dylan cover “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” for the tribute collection Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan; that partnership continued with her work on Browne’s 2014 album Standing in the Breach.
In 2016 Wilkenfeld issued the single “Corner Painter,” marking her move from instrumental jazz-rock into alternative rock. That same year she served as an opening act on the Who’s The Who Hits 50! Anniversary tour before finishing her next album, Love Remains, which extended the alt-rock direction first signaled by the single. Executive-produced by Jackson Browne and co-produced by Wilkenfeld and Paul Stacey—previously known for work with the Black Crowes and Oasis—Love Remains included appearances by Benmont Tench and Blake Mills.
Albums
Singles
