Robben Ford Discussion

[roadwarriorfortheblues]

I've been listening to Gabe Ford's self-titled CD this week. It's a funky album. Gabe plays guitar, drums, keys, Rhodes and sings on this new release. He's joined by Robben playing guitar on four tracks and Chris Cain on two. Mark Ford plays harmonica on three songs. Dewayne Pate plays bass on most tracks.

Gabe's voice is earthy and melancholy. His music is soulful. The album features 10 originals as well as "Sometime Love" (from RF's Blue Moon) and "Never Say No" off the East-West album by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

He opens with a remake of "Wish4," a great song that debuted on Ford Blues Band 2003 release Another Fine Day.

Robben gets funky on Track two, titled "Running". It's a jam featuring Robben's signature wah-wah grooves.

"Sometime Love" has Chris Cain on lead guitar and Mark Ford on harmonica trading licks. It's sweet!

Gabe lays down soulful swampy grooves on Tracks 4 (Too Much), 5 (Whatcha), and 9 (Beam Town). These songs have a raw down-home (Florida) feel. I love the way he uses lingering silence on some of these tracks.

Tracks 6 (Newborn), 8 (The Yob) and 10 (Hell No) are blues rock. Wonderful contributions by Mark Ford on Newborn, by Robben on The Yob, and by John Burr on Hell No.

There's two instrumental tracks, 9 and 11. "You Call It"-- a jazz fusion tune -- is one of my favorite tracks on the CD. Chris Cain and John Burr rip it up! It's a beauty!

Track 7, "Never Say No" is done very similar to the arrangement on the East-West album. Gabe sounds a lot like the East-West vocalist ! (Was it Elvin Bishop or Paul on the East-West recording?)

The final track, "On the Outs" is a trippy medley of thoughts set to acoustic guitar music with a Hendrix vibe.

I bought this CD off the Blue Rock'it website (www.bluerockit.com). There are two other CDs coming out soon from Blue Rock'it -- a live Butterfield/Bloomfield tribute concert and a new release by Volker Strifler.

Congrats on the new album, Gabe!
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Travelling by train of thought

[PaulG]

Thanks for the review RW! There's always good stuff coming out of BlueRockit, only not enough of it.
I hope to be vacationing up north in Sept, and will make a point of stopping into Ukiah to absorb any Ford karma I can get. What is it, the water, air, dirt???? How can that family be so talented??