Not many musicians find themselves spoken about in the same sentence as Jimi Hendrix. Robert Randolph is the exception to that rule. When he burst on the scene in the early 2000s, many had never seen or heard the pedal steel guitar played that way—the most apt comparison was equating what Randolph was doing on pedal steel to what Hendrix did on the electric.
Watching Randolph’s hands as he slides them lightning fast on the strings, bending sounds, is exhilarating. But here’s the secret of why it all works so well. His backing band, The Family Band, is so skilled that each member is able to keep up with Robert and his improvisational style. Some are actual Randolph family members: Marcus Randolph on drums and Lenesha Randolph on vocals, to name two.
Randolph grew up in the church and his music is heavily influenced from that world. Along with gospel, his group’s sound includes blues, funk and rock ’n’ roll. Whether they are playing original songs like “I Need More Love,” “The March” or something from the group’s latest album, Got Soul, or tackling covers like Blind Willie Johnson’s “If I Had My Way” or Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile,” Randolph and The Family Band are always a dynamic live act.
Brooklyn Bowl at The Linq, 6 p.m. March 28, starting at $20 plus fee. 702.862.2695
