Willie Waldman Project

Willie Waldman came alive on Death Row. Upon moving to L.A. in 1994, he was introduced to Snoop Dogg, who enlisted the trumpeter to join him in the studio. Waldman's work with the D-O-double-G led to subsequent sessions with Tha Dogg Pound and 2Pac. A few years later, he met a completely different dog: Rat Dog's Rob Wasserman. The pair worked together on Wasserman's Space Island, with Waldman co-writing a few tracks and earning a co-producer credit in addition to playing on the disc. He also recorded with ex-Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins, touring with the latter in his jazz-funk-jam band Banyan. In turn, Perkins played on Waldman's solo disc, 2002's Trumpet Rides, along with Banyan guitarist Woody Aplanalp, Firm bassist Tony Franklin and drummer John Molo. Borrowing from Banyan, Waldman and company take off on Hawkwind-does-jazz tracks and spread out on a few Rhodes-drenched Bitches Brew-type excursions. Who's the man now, dawg?