He’s one of the 100 greatest guitarists of the 20th Century, now playing in the 21st Century. Don’t take my word for it. That statement was made by Musician Magazine. Don’t take Musician Magazine’s word for it. Listen to Robben Ford on his 1995 release Handful Of Blues.
This is the ultimate blues rocker album. Ford, with his then band “the Blue Line” (bassist Roscoe Beck and drummer Tom Brechtlein) provide a master lesson in rock guitar blues. Ford blazes through classic Chicago-style ("When I Leave Here"), jump blues ("The Miller's Son"), jazz-blues balladry ("Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"), and Texas shuffle ("Tired of Talkin'") with such mastery that, at the time of release Cleveland Plain Dealer music critic David Sowd thought Ford would rise to replace the deceased Stevie Ray Vaughan as the ”undisputed hero to the white-boy blues-picker throne.” However, Ford’s musical interests go far beyond the blues.
Ford has jazz chops as well as blues chops. He played guitar for Jimmy Witherspoon from 1972 to 1974, before joining Tom Scott & the L.A. Express as the band’s guitarist for Joni Mitchell’s 1974 Court and Spark tour. At the end of the tour he joined George Harrison for Harrison’s 1974 Dark Horse tour. In the 1980’s he toured with Michael MacDonald and Miles Davis. But it was Ford’s childhood roots in the blues that captured his imagination in the late 1980’s through the mid-1990’s that led him to produce some of the greatest blues guitar music of the last decade of the 20th Century once he got his shot to record as a solo artist.
After Handful Of Blues was recorded Ford disbanded “the Blue Line.” He said on his website, "I felt like I was holding back on the guitar side in order to present a band. I played out my commitment with the Blue Line and then decided to take some time off and find some new inspiration." Yet, nothing Ford has done since Handful Of Blues is nearly as good, as distinctive or as powerful. With “the Blue Line” disbanded Ford’s interests meandered toward jazz-infused R&B with a heavy urban influence. While much of his later work is excellent, such as his 2003 release “Keep On Running” on which he plays with Edgar Winter, Ivan Neville and Mavis Staples, it lacks the raw beauty of his work with the Blue Line. He only produced three albums with the Blue Line and Handful Of Blues is, by far, the best of the three.
Ford fills out the sound on Handful Of Blues by adding Yellowjackets’ keyboardist Russell Ferrante, pianist Henry Butler, Ford's brother Mark on the harmonica and organist Ricky Peterson. In addition to producing the album LA studio guitarist Danny Kortchmar (who played on several classic James Taylor and Jackson Browne albums) occasionally plays rhythm guitar. As a result Ford’s sound is more akin to the 1960’s British blues invasion sound than it is to the jazz and R&B tones that permeate his later work. Yet, even this album contains a modicum of the jazz and R&B that was to come, mostly on Ford’s originals which are some of his best jazz and R&B to date.
The opening track “Rugged Road” is a fast-paced Ford blues original that Ford follows with a classic rendition of Taj Mahal’s “Chevrolet” which, in the day, received significant airplay. Ford also provides a smooth version of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” One of the best album tracks is an original called “Top Of The Hill” on which Ford’s musicianship shines, especially in the short guitar solo. Another wonderful track is Ford’s rendition of Willie Dixon’s “I Just Want To Make Love To You.” While it may not have the grit of Dixon’s vocals it features some of the best instrumental performances by Ford and his sidemen found on the album. Ford also amazes in the longest album track “Good Thing” which has a tonality that harkens back to Ford’s L.A. Express days.
Ford is still out there playing and he will usually include a cut or two from Handful Of Blues in his shows. He will play with jazz guitarist extraordinaire John Scofield at the Blue Note in New York City, NY December 1 through 5, 2010.
Those on the West Coast will get the opportunity to see him with his band, Renegade Creation that consists of Ford, guitarist Michael Landau (who has played with Boz Skaggs, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, B.B. King, James Taylor, Ray Charles and Rod Stewart just to name a few) left-handed bassist Jimmy Haslip (who has played with the Yellowjackets, Bruce Hornsby, Rita Coolidge, Gino Vannelli, KISS, Tommy Bolin, Allan Holdsworth, Marilyn Scott, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau, Donald Fagen and Anita Baker) and drummer Gary Novak (who has played with Joe Williams, Milt Hinton, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel, Louis Bellson, Michael MacDonald, Lee Ritenour, Anita Baker, George Benson and Alanis Morrisette), at Yoshi’s in Oakland, CA December 16 through 19, 2010.
Best of all at Yoshi’s they will play a Sunday matinee where adults can get in for $18 if they bring a kid ($5 per kid). This is a great opportunity to be a hero to the neighborhood’s budding guitarists.
- Old School
Buy here: Handful of Blues
mp3: Handful Of Blues
Mik