AN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT WOLF (S6

AN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT WOLF (S6 | E282)

This is part one – an episode of the Jazz New York radio show, featuring an interview with guitarist and composer Robert Wolf.

Composer and musician Robert Wolf’s debut album, Born in a Time Retold, is a heartfelt folk-jazz collection shaped by patience, personal history, and a deep trust in the creative process. Wolf drew substantial inspiration from his grandfather, a Western visual artist known for bringing disparate memories of West Texas and South America to life across a single canvas.

Much like those paintings, Wolf approached these compositions as his own form of sonic collage. Rather than forcing the music, he stepped back and allowed long-dormant ideas to naturally connect and realize themselves over time. This shift in focus guided him away from dense improvisation and toward creating singable, bluegrass-tinged melodies crafted directly on his guitar.

Robert’s Story

Based in Brooklyn, New York, Robert Wolf divides his time between the stage, the studio, and the classroom as a professional guitarist, composer, and educator.

As a performer, he has shared the stage with artists such as Ron McClure, Vincent Herring, and Don Friedman. As a composer, he has had the honor of scoring plays for writer Allan Knee.

Passing on his passion for music is central to his work. Holding a Master’s of Music from New York University—where he previously taught—Robert currently teaches and leads clinics at the Trinity School, Collegiate School, and Q Studio Lab. Whenever he performs, he is proudly backed by Schaefer Guitars as an endorsed artist.

Track Name	Album Name	Artist Name(s)	Release Date	Record Label
Django’s Tiger	The Best Of Django Reinhardt	Django Reinhardt	1946	EMI Studios / Abbey Road
Twelfth Street Rag	Dixieland Jazz	Roy Smeck	1928	Edison Diamond Disc
Hi-Fly	Rhombus	Larry Goldings;Peter Bernstein;Bill Stewart	8/7/26	Smoke Sessions
In A Sentimental Mood – Remastered 2021	Jazzpar Quartet + Four (Remastered 2021)	Jim Hall	3/19/99	Storyville Records
Leaf Song	Born in a Time Retold	Robert Wolf	8/13/26	Robert Wolf Sounds
Bowie	Born in a Time Retold	Robert Wolf	8/13/26	Robert Wolf Sounds
Hermitage	New Chautauqua	Pat Metheny	3/1/79	ECM Records
Cove	Born in a Time Retold	Robert Wolf	8/13/26	Robert Wolf Sounds
St. Thomas – Live at Town Hall, New York, 1989	Jim Hall and Friends: Live at Town Hall, Vol. 1	Jim Hall;Ron Carter	1991	Jazz Heritage Society
Calypso	Born in a Time Retold	Robert Wolf	8/13/26	Robert Wolf Sounds
Hi-Fly	The Hottest New Group In Jazz	Lambert, Hendricks & Ross	1961	Columbia/Legacy

Origins

Robert grew up in the same city as his grandfather, a Western artist by vocation, and spent considerable time watching him work in his studio. His grandfather would arrange travel photographs—primarily from West Texas and South America—across a clean canvas, piecing together scenes like a hidden collage brought into focus. While Robert never had the chance to ask how his grandfather knew a piece was finished, learning when a work is complete became a familiar challenge throughout his own composing journey.

When compiling ideas for his album, Robert realized several melodies had existed for years without being fully realized—quietly waiting to connect with new ideas. Reflecting on his grandfather’s trust in his own creative process inspired Robert to adopt a similar approach: trusting the work and allowing songs to surface naturally from the subconscious. With discipline, long-dormant concepts began integrating into new compositions, bridging different moments in his life.

Bluegrass Melody & Musical Philosophy

Earlier in his journey as an improviser and guitarist, Robert recognized a common tendency to overplay and lose breath. Encouraged by a close friend and gifted songwriter, he adopted the practice of focusing on singable melodies rather than writing exclusively from guitar technique.

Several songs on the record lean into what Robert describes as “bluegrass melody”—ideas originating from guitar topography that truly began to sing once placed at the right tempi. By giving each piece the time it needed to develop, Robert crafted a collection of music built on patience, groove, and honest, searching melodies.