Robben Ford Discussion

bluejack · Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:21 pm Post subject:

First, sorry for the multiple posts on my earlier entry. Was getting an error message and hit submit again when it was in fact working. Maybe someone can help me delete the 2 extra posts.
Well, little bit about Sat. night's show at the Cactus. Friday night was hot enough but they seemed to be able to even kick it up a notch. Think having a two night stand allows everyone to settle in and be relaxed. Pretty much the same song list with the added bonus of a few special guests. After starting out with 5 tunes, Robben invited Eric Johnson to sit in for 'Cannonball Shuffle 'and 'Get out my Life,Woman'. R and E trading fours on the latter tune was one of the highlights of the night. Then after 3 more songs with the band, he asked David Grissom to the stage. They tore it up on 'Real Man' and 'Tired of Talking' Then Robben did a song he hadn't done Fri.- 'I Put a Spell on You' Absolutely gorgeous jazz chordal workout. And after all of that he still had 'it' to do a most rousing ' Lovin' Cup' for the encore. Wow!!!
Must say that i feel lucky enough to have witnessed some special music making. Just one of those great couple of nights. The Cactus- small and accomodating, Roscoe and Brannen- at home and Robben knew he could take them anywhere, trio, full moon, etc. The joy was apparent.
On the equipment note, Robben seems to have traded the Zen for a Tubescreamer. It was that and a volume pedal.
My ears have heard the glory,
J

frank0936 · Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:30 am Post subject: Cactus Show

Great review! I love that song - "I Put A Spell On You". I remember seeing Screamin' Jay Hawkins do it on the old Ed Sullivan Show! On David Gilmour's solo DVD there is a clip of him doing it with a female vocalist that's killer, too. I'd love to hear Robben's version. Maybe he'll get over this way sometime in the near future.
Frank

Daved · Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:37 am Post subject:

Yes, it does sound like Robben is broadening his repetoire. In the 8+ years I've worked with him, I've only heard him perform Real Man maybe 4 or 5 times... and I've never heard him do Get Out Of My Life Woman or I Put A Spell On You.

I Put A Spell is one of my favorites too, Frank. I've always been particularly fond of (besides Screamin' Jays original) the Animals version (Animalism), Arthur Brown's various versions (obviously a favorite of his, too: Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, Chisholm In My Bosom, Order From Chaos Live), with my favorite version probably being that of Alan Price's (The Alan Price Set).
Alan's version is the one that I often enjoy playing on keyboards at soundchecks.
I didn't know Gilmore did a version. I'll have to check that out! He is one of my alltime fave axe welders. Which of his solo albums is it on? I'd love to hear his interpretation.

Finally, as for Robben's use of a Tube Screamer, I doubt that he has intentionally switched from the Zen. I suspect he forgot to pack his Zen (I know he does that once in awhile... that's why I keep a spare and bring it along with me as a backup when I do "fly-in" gigs with Robben) and, since I'm not out on the road with him for this trip, had to settle for the more easily accessible T.S.

(BTW, Blue... I still keep getting that "Debug Mode" error screen, too, when I try to post. Quite annoying. I think it's related to the site being offline over the last week. Maybe the Captain can fix it?)
_________________
B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)

jdlwcec · Member Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 16

Daved,
Excuse the interruption in the thread, but David Gilmour's version of I Put A Spell On You is in the extras on his David Gilmour In Concert DVD (which has some stunning acoustic versions of PF favorites as well as tunes from his solo works and other sources such as Richard Thompson and Bizet!). The cello alone on Comfortably Numb will knock you out. The blues number in the extras is shot from a session when he had hair so it was a while ago. You should check it out. I've worn my copy out.

Dan L.

jdlwcec · Member Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 16

Can't figure out the delete function so I'll just edit and beg for forgiveness.

jdlwcec · Member Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 16

Yeah, sorry for the duplication -- the error code gremlin made me do it!

jdlwcec · Member Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 16

Sure wish Robben would extend this mini tour to Denver or Boulder. We miss him terribly! Maybe next time.