Jad Tariq, a Memphis-based rhythm & blues guitarist and vocalist, has been writing, recording, and performing since he was a kid in Connecticut, building a following for himself locally and helping to usher in what some might consider a new wave of contemporary blues music.

However, not many people Tariq’s age — he turned 30 years old this year — receive the kind of phone call he did earlier this summer. It came from Bob Dylan’s team, asking if he’d like to come play a few shows with the band on tour. He accepted.

As fans are well aware, Dylan has a habit of both sticking with players he’s worked with for years and also switching things up unexpectedly. But Tariq appeared to slip in naturally, trading parts with Dylan’s other electric guitarist, Joel Paterson, and generally sounding like he’d been in the band for much longer than just a few weeks. (This writer can personally attest to that having attended the band’s 2026 performance at Forest Hills in New York City, which Tariq described as “one of my favorite shows I think I’ve ever played” with his family in town to catch the action in person.)

We recently caught up with Tariq to discuss both Dylan and Tariq’s own new album, Precious Company.

I realize you can’t share everything, but can you walk me through how you were contacted and asked to play with Dylan?
I had received a call from his team about coming out and playing, which, you know, of course I was excited to do. But I was on the road with [blues harmonicist] Charlie Musselwhite, so they had called and I was working with Charlie at that time. It worked out that I could come do a couple shows a few weeks later, and that’s kind of how that happened. I wish there was some kind of fun story to tell here but it was really just one of those things. It was kind of just like getting called for any job, you know? You just get the call and if you can make it, you can make it and if you can’t, you can’t. And it just worked out that after I got off the road with Charlie there were a couple dates that I was able to do and I went and did them.

READ MORE: Bob Dylan in 85 Quotations

Did you feel surprised? Nervous?
Yeah, I did feel surprised just in the sense that I guess that wasn’t on the list of calls I would expect to get, you know what I mean? Not so much nerves or anything like that. I mean, of course, there are some nerves for any gig that you do. But it just wasn’t a call I was expecting to get, but of course, I was happy to receive it.

What happened then? Did you go right to rehearsals?
There wasn’t a whole lot of prep. The Bob fan base is — I mean, they’re real…what’s the word I’m looking for? Let’s just say: thorough. It’s easy to find what songs he’d been doing on the road, so I kind of just familiarized myself with the songs that he had been performing on that run.

But other than that there wasn’t much prep. I flew out to meet them and we did a small rehearsal the day before the first show — or I can’t remember if it was the day before or the day of. I think it was the day before the first show and it was a really relaxed rehearsal. It was just all of us in a room and we sat down while they basically showed me the set and the arrangements they were doing. I already was kind of familiar with the tunes anyway, so it wasn’t too crazy. I’m called into many situations like that where you get a call a day before or a week before a show and you listen to the music as much as you can and hopefully get a rehearsal if possible. Sometimes you don’t.

It’s funny because I saw you perform with the band at the Forest Hills show in New York City, and it sounded seamless. You’d never guess you’d only been playing together for a few weeks at that point.
Those guys are just so good. Anton Fig on drums is just incredible; Tony [Garnier] the bass player has been with Bob forever. So it was pretty easy to just pop in. And also like Bob is – people don’t realize Bob can really get around on the piano. I don’t think many people know he’s actually pretty good at playing piano. And he plays in tough keys too for a piano player. Like he really knows his instrument well; he’s got a cool ear and some really cool musical ideas. It was easy to play with them.

Watch Jad Tariq Perform With Bob Dylan in New York City

What about before you were called to do these gigs? Were you a fan of Dylan’s?
I mean, just being a musician, I was obviously familiar with his work. I feel like everybody is sort of familiar with his work to some degree. I wouldn’t say I was like a fan per se; I’ve always liked his music but at the time he called me — I wasn’t an everyday listener — but I’ve always enjoyed his music and had many friends who were huge fans. So you know, I was hip to his records and liked all his stuff but mostly listened to more straightforward blues as my daily listening.

Did playing these shows change your perspective on that?
Honestly, playing with him and digging into the material made me appreciate his music even more than I already did. It was a really fun experience; I admire his creative mind and how he works. So yeah, I definitely like his stuff even more now than before.

You know, especially those records he did with all the jazz standards. [Dylan released three albums of standards between 2015 and 2017: Shadows in the Night, Fallen Angels and Triplicate] Man, I thought that — it’s really cool; the way he delivers lyrics is impressive…he’s an amazing singer. He has such a unique style but most importantly, on that record he’s really delivering those lyrics well; it’s one of the better standards albums I’ve heard.

Did you have any particular favorite song to play in the set list?
Ooh yeah, there are quite a few I really liked. “False Prophet” was always real fun; between the first couple shows I did with him and the last one, the arrangement and key changed a couple times which made it exciting. “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” that one was also really fun; it differed significantly from the recorded version which made it stand out as one of my highlights.

READ MORE: 20 Different Takes on Bob Dylan’s Most-Covered Song

What would you say was the most important thing you learned from this experience playing with Bob?
Well, when you’re doing sideman work — because you know I’m involved in both sideman roles and frontman roles — I’ve noticed there’s certain threads within each song which I’d refer to as kind of its nucleus or seed; that’s always crucial. Whatever you’re doing has to include certain elements whether it’s groove or lyric; every song has this small center point that is its essence. You have to rely on your instincts for that; taste varies among everyone but figuring out what that tiny seed is and supporting that aspect is key for me when working with sidemen.

Speaking of being a frontman, let’s talk about your new album, Precious Company. Do you think of yourself as primarily a guitarist first or as a songwriter?
Ooh, I’m not sure because I’ve always been writing songs; I’m not sure if I’ve thought about myself enough to answer that question! [Laughs]

Where do your ideas typically stem from for your own songs?
It can be anything; life events like breakups or changes often inspire me but more often than not it’s something overheard in conversation — I’ll hear someone say something or I’ll be engaged in dialogue where someone says something impactful; I’ll think “Ooh, I’ve got to write that down.” And constantly throughout my day I’m jotting down notes on my phone regarding song ideas; usually what gets written down tends to be the nucleus around which I’ll expand my song ideas; interestingly enough though I’ve never written music first — lyrics always come first for me.

Listen to the Title Track from Jad Tariq’s ‘Precious Company’

I noticed there are quite a few heartbreak-related songs on this album—are you alright? [Laughs]
[Laughs] Yes! I’m alright! It definitely turned into somewhat of a breakup record; going through that influenced much of what’s on this album.

But it’s not necessarily sad record either.
I wouldn’t classify it as sad either; perhaps it’s more inspired instead! Whether I’m viewed as primarily a songwriter or guitarist doesn’t matter much since it’s not solely about guitar work; I’m not particularly fond of guitar-centric albums even though I’m recognized mainly as one! Each song stands alone lyrically rather than serving merely as an excuse for guitar solos—each lyric reflects genuine feelings I’ve thought through while writing—so ultimately guitar serves more as support rather than being front-and-center.

I’m curious about your thoughts on this emerging era of neo-blues music—it seems like it’s been building over time—like John Mayer’s vibe evolving into artists such as Gary Clark Jr., Buffalo Nichols etc., while also incorporating influences from Sinners, Buddy Guy etc., reaching new younger audiences—and you’re partaking in this movement.
We’ve definitely noticed this shift! There seems to be an influx of what I’d call retro soul—though “retro” isn’t my favorite term—it tends more towards describing soundscapes rather than content itself! If something sounds lo-fi without 808 sub-bass then suddenly it’s labeled retro! [Laughs] But yes! Many factors have contributed including biopics such as Ray Charles’ portrayal by Jamie Foxx alongside Elvis’ story & Bob Dylan’s tale reigniting interest towards roots-based music! Genres have become so blended now—nothing fits neatly into singular categories anymore—similarity exists among various genres reminiscent of past decades when western swing/jazz/blues/country/pop/doowop all intertwined seamlessly allowing musicians from different backgrounds fitting into one another’s bands easily—perhaps we’re returning back towards those times!

Listen to Jad Tariq’s ‘Poor Me’