Robben Ford Discussion

juspasinby2003 · Senior Member Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 255

I want to give everyone a heads up that Garth Webber's new CD entitled, "I" has just been released and is available at the moment directly from Garth through his web site: www.garthwebber.com.

In case you don't know about Garth, you should. He has recorded and toured with such folks as Miles Davis, Greg Allman, John Lee Hooker, The Ford Blues Band, Bill Champlin, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood, Merl Saunders, Bob Weir and Kingfish, and Mose Alison, and the list goes on and on. He spent a year on the road in Europe and South America with Miles Davis in 1986. Some of you have probably heard the bootleg recordings in circulation of Garth with Miles or have seen the DVD's of those concerts

The new CD is all instrumental and is simply stunning. It aptly shows Garth as he is, a virtuoso of the instrument with exquisite touch, tone, and taste and with an uncanny ability to build solos from the ground up, with gradually escalating tension tempered with occasional teasing release, that, in the end, will leave you breathless.

You owe it to yourself to check out Garth Webber. You'll thank me for it.

http://www.garthwebber.com/i_cd.shtml

JohnnyZ · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:56 pm Post subject:

I'm surprised we haven't heard from this forum's designated "old codger" yet... Very Happy

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Bill Morgan · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 5:45 pm Post subject:

diatonicdude · Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 5:28 am Post subject:

Hi all,

well, I have just received the CD from Garth, and all I can say is what a gem!!!!! I didn't know what to expect, but this is a superb CD. Garth must be really proud of it!!!? My copy of Larry Carlton's "Firewire" has taken a well deserved rest now this CD is here!

On the first play I tried to think what genre it fell into. Although it doesn't sound like Larry Carlton, or Jeff Golub (two of my favourite smooth Jazz players) it did seem to lend itself to that kind of genre. With further listens, however, I now think it is hard to pigeon hole, which is refreshing as many artists tend to sound similar, or produce similar music. It is not like his more recent blues based outings, and in fact it has come as a real surprise, and treat!

For me, Garth's phrasing is always excellent, and the tones & dynamics he creates are the icing on the cake. All the tracks are superb, but the stand out ones after a few listens for me are, "melting pot", " out of body", "layers" and "Carolyn".

This is a must have CD if you like beautifully crafted guitar based music, with gorgeous tones, and jaw dropping phrasing to boot.

I echo the old codger above, buy it, you definitely won't be disappointed.

Cheer's,

DD
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Aeolian · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 5:21 pm Post subject:

Got mine a couple of days ago and it's been in the car ever since. Garth has such great melodic sense. This isn't guitar wanking. But there's ample display of his prodigious chops. He's just very musical and selective as to where he uses them. Course I also believe "chops" encompases being able to play the note in the right space in time and with a tone that means something to the phrase. Here Garth shines, as he plays beautifully throughout the whole album. Every note means something.

The backings have the flavor of what passes for comtemporary jazz these days, but harkens back to old Yellowjackets and such for me. Maybe with a bit of updated funk. Garth has too much passion and fire for this to be "smooth jazz", although if he's lucky, he might get some airplay there among the more adventurous program directors. He certainly deserves the recognition.

While comparisons to Carlton are in the ballpark, this actually reminds me a bit of a fellow named Eric Dowdle. Except that Garth brings the passion of the blues, and the ability to create what Robben calls an arc. The music doesn't just sit there. This is what Carlton might do if he were let loose to play his heart out. Garth just went ahead and blessed us all with the music he's been carrying around in his heart over the years. Without regard to what you call it. I just call it great music.

I had been listening to the Landau Live 2000 on the way to gigs to open up my ears to melodic development. Garth's CD is on tap for this weekends gig.
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Bill Morgan · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 8:14 pm Post subject:

Aeolian · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 9:42 pm Post subject:

Opps, Bill, I think you're right. I have a cassette with half the writing worn off of a Michael Dowdle CD from some years back.

The other great thing about Garth's CD, is the quality of the rest of the playing. This must take incredible patience to work track after track into a sequencer and get it to sound like there's no computers involved. And to play the keyboard parts on a guitar synth, but still make them sound like a keyboard player. You can tell Garth can easily adjust his technique to suit whatever is going on. Even if it means simulating the attack and phrasing of a keyboard.
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telefunk1 · Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 12:16 pm Post subject:

Mine showed up yesterday and I have been diggin it ever since. There is LOT of music on this CD (and tone and taste). It will take more than a couple of spins through this to fully appreciate what he has accomplished (with an Atari, no less. Damn!)

Phill_B · Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 2:51 pm Post subject:

Everybody I just wanted to let you know that the official Garth Webber MySpace is now up and running (AKA The WebberSpace)!! Guitarist/SingerSongwriter Garth Webber has shared the stage with such people as Miles Davis, Gregg Allman, The Ford Blues, and many more. Heres a link
www.myspace.com/garthwebber

Thanks everyone
Phillip

AlChuck · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject:

I got my copy today (it's also available from CD Baby). I was very impressed. All the comments in this thread about Garth's playing are true. He's a local guy (well, if local can encompass a 30-mile radius) so maybe I'll cross paths with him someday soon (he recently was at a jam session on the coast that I frequent, though I've been missing it lately for health reasons).

telefunk, the Atari is used for MIDI sequencing, which was pretty fully mature in those days and well within the capabilities of a computer of that vintage. It's muscling digital audio around and running software synths along with MIDI data that takes more horsepower.