Tal Wilkenfeld carved out a reputation as a preternaturally gifted bassist when she was in her early twenties, playing with superstars several decades older than herself. Her exceptional chops earned the attention of Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Jeff Beck, with the latter having her join his band not long after she released her debut album Transformation in 2007. Transformation showcased her jazz fusion skills but Wilkenfeld's second album, Love Remains, was another thing entirely, an excursion in alternative rock deliberately evoking the post-grunge '90s. The fact that she pulled off a retro-rock move with the same aplomb as she played fusion stood as a testament to her vast gifts.

Born in Sydney, Australia on December 2, 1986, Tal Wilkenfeld was raised in the Sydney suburb of Bondi Beach. By the time she reached adolescence, she had fallen in love with music. When she was 14, she picked up guitar and began writing songs. Within two years, she relocated to Los Angeles. After arriving in Southern California, she made bass her primary interest. Following her graduation from the Los Angeles Music Academy College of Music in 2004, she headed to New York, where she became a regular playing in jazz clubs. There, she earned the attention of members of the Allman Brothers Band, who invited her to jam on-stage at one of their legendary concerts at The Beacon.

Shortly after her benediction at The Beacon, Wilkenfeld recorded her instrumental debut album, Transformation. Drawing heavily on jazz fusion, the album helped her land a position in Chick Corea's band for a 2007 tour, upon the completion of which she joined Jeff Beck's band. She'd appear on his album Live at Ronnie Scott's, which was recorded that year. Wilkenfeld maintained a role in Beck's band while also moonlighting with a number of heavy hitters, including Herbie Hancock and guitarist Wayne Krantz, who also played on Transformation. In 2009, Wilkenfeld's circles expanded to include Prince; she appeared on the single "Hot Summer."

As Wilkenfeld continued to play with Beck throughout the 2010s -- she's credited on his 2010 studio album Emotion Commotion -- she appeared on sessions by many other major artists throughout the decade. In 2010, she played on The Imagine Project by Herbie Hancock and appeared on Lee Ritenour's 6 String Theory; she re-teamed with the guitarist for Rhythm Sessions in 2012. The next year, she played on Steve Lukather's Transition, which led to her playing on Toto's 2015 set, Toto XIV. She guested on Ryan Adams' eponymous album in 2014 and Todd Rundgren's Global in 2015. In 2012, she sat in with Jackson Browne for "Love Minus Zero/No Limit," a Dylan cover for the tribute album Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan. That relationship would deepen after her appearance on Browne's 2014 album Standing in the Breach.

In 2016, she released "Corner Painter," a single that found her shifting from instrumental jazz-rock to alternative rock. During 2016, she opened for the Who on their The Who Hits 50! Anniversary tour, then returned to completing her next album, Love Remains, which followed through on the alt-rock makeover of "Corner Painter." Executive-produced by Jackson Browne and co-produced by Wilkenfeld and Paul Stacey, who previously worked with the Black Crowes and Oasis, Love Remains featured cameos from Benmont Tench and Blake Mills. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi