Robin Trower

It's not often a keyboard-centric band spawns a guitar god, but that's exactly how things worked out for Robin Trower. Prior to becoming a mainstay of progressive airwaves from the early '70s to the early '80s, Trower's guitar shared space with both piano and Hammond organ as a founding member of the classic Brit prog group Procol Harum. From his 1973 solo debut onward, Trower's calling card would be a three-piece sound unquestionably influenced by Jimi Hendrix. And it was Hendrix the spacey balladeer rather than Hendrix the blues scorcher who more often informed Trower's most celebrated numbers. Whether the mark of Hendrix was inspiration or imitation has been subject to much debate. What can't be denied is Trower's enduring status as a killer guitarist. The recently released Seven Moons is his third pairing, over a vast discography, with Cream bassist and singer Jack Bruce. While Bruce is not part of Trower's current tour, his ethereal voice provides an ideal complement to Trower's spatial play.