I love Robben's playing and will continue to seek out his recordings (instrumental).
Hammer
Thanks for the very enjoyable thread! There aren't too many purely instrumental Robben albums to my knowledge, apart from the ones already mentioned - Inside Story, Tom Scott etc. I would recommend checking out some of his sideman stuff. Live by Jimmy Witherspoon is a must. Also, Pop Pop by Rickie Lee Jones features some very tasteful playing. Cool Cat Blues by Georgie Fame is a real showcase for Robben as he basically produced it and has the role of primary soloist. Also don't cheat yourself by avoiding Charles Ford Band stuff. The original album is great but so are the reunion albums available on brother Patrick's Blue Rock'It label. Robben does sing, but there's plenty of blowing and Robben's brother Mark is one awesome harp player.
Thanks for the recommendations - I have heard of the Witherspoon live album and wondered if I should get a copy. I'll try to track down the others, too - thanks!
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:05 am Post subject:
srammell wrote:
2) Out and out Blues/Rock guitarist/singer - Rory Gallagher, Jeff Healy (blind white man sings the blues !), Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Steve Marriott
I hate to say this, but Kenny Wayne Shepherd is not a guitarist/singer, yet. On his 1st album, the lead vocalist is Corey Sterling. On his last 2 albums, Noah Hunt (great voice) sang the lead. The liners credit KWS with vocals, but I'm almost positive it's background only, and on just a few songs.
I became a huge fan of the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band while they were touring (I saw them twice) after the release of their 3rd and last album (so far). Notice that I said "Band". Kenny's guitar playing did blow mw away, but with Noah's outstanding voice and a great rythm section (bass guitar, drums), it was the sum of the parts that made them a great band to follow.
After the tour, Kenny decided on a change, actually, many changes. He did a mini-tour with Double Trouble, and I believe he appeared on their latest album. This was a couple of years ago. Then, he took a long break, and is now on the verge of a new album release (10/5) with a new KWS band. He did keep Noah Hunt as the lead vocalist- smart, smart move. Not only is he a great vocalist, but I remember seeing the women in the concert crowd swooning over him. Funny, it was like the guys were there for Kenny, and the women for Noah.
Anyway, in this new album, Kenny tries to become guitarist/singer on a couple of songs. I listened to clips when they were first previewed on his website a couple of months ago, and I remember not being very impressed. I give him credit for trying, but I also give him credit for not trying to do it all at once. Whether he realizes it or not (probably does), keeping Noah as the lead singer, or having someone else sing for that matter, is a smart career move, as well as a smart marketing one. Had this new album been all KWS singing, I probably would've waited to find it in the used cd section. But, come 10/5, I'll most likely be picking up a new one.
Well, Jeez, somebody's got to sing!!!! I'm in agreement about Blue Moon, played it a few times, didn't dig the singing that much, it all seemed a little too mellow. Then I heard a song from it on the radio somewhere (maybe on the TV radio blues channel or something), went back to it and found that it had grown on me. Still not my favorite CD, but i dig it now.
I CAN sing and play at the same time. Of course, I've been doing it for 30 years so it's not surprising, but there can be a tradeoff on some tunes unless I get in the zone - where I'm like two different people - one playing guitar, one singing. There are plenty of songs where I just wonder how the hell they did it all at the same time (or maybe they didn't...studio magic..).
I've often thought of just being the guitar player, but there are so many songs that I like to sing that I always come back to it. I'm in two bands; in one I sing all the songs, in the other I sing half the songs. Some songs I think I should sing instead of the other guy, but I don't push it, share and share alike - why should I have all the fun?
Uli Roth can't sing a lick, but his vocals actually fit the songs that he does "sing". I don't care for Gary Moore's voice since he got back into playing blues. I always loved Peter Green's voice. I love listening to Johnny Winter sing. I think James Taylor is a weak singer. I totally dislike Frank Sinatra with the exception of Witchcraft. Yeah, yeah, it really is so subjective. I like emotion in a voice more than anything (well, maybe staying close to the right pitch, too).
SRV's brother told him to learn to sing so he wouldn't be dependent on doing whatever songs the "singer" wanted to do. Good advice.
I also agree about Warren Haynes. I've seen him a lot and I marvel every time how he does what he does and NEVER, I mean NEVER seems to miss. No clams. I play some of his stuff and it can be a chore to do correctly. It takes me a LOT of practice to get close.
So, to sum up, I LIKE listening to Robben sing. I get the whole package, the player, the singer, the song. He delivers the whole enchilada.
Dats my 3 cents...
Mike.
Oh, yes, The people who are closely related to me think I'm a wonderful singer and player......I personally think they are a little blinded by love - you know how that goes......
So, to sum up, I LIKE listening to Robben sing. I get the whole package, the player, the singer, the song. He delivers the whole enchilada.
Dats my 3 cents...
Mike.
Oh, yes, The people who are closely related to me think I'm a wonderful singer and player......I personally think they are a little blinded by love - you know how that goes.....
OK beloved and wonderful Mike, I also love the whole package Mr. Ford delivers, but what's wrong with Sinatra? Sorry, Whitchcraft is one of the few Sinatra songs, as far as I remember the only one, I don't like. But I might have to listen to it again perhaps....
Well, I never thought Frank had such a great voice - Dean Martin was much better to my mind. I like Witchcraft because I heard it a lot when I was growing up and it reminds me of good times. I just really never got into that style of singing that Frank does. I never hear it as sincere, it's more like "the vocal stylings of..." to me. Not my cup of tea, but that doesn't mean it isn't valid or wonderful or anything, just that I'm not wowed by it.
As far as being wonderful and beloved, I played this weekend and my wife and nieces and nephews thought it was great but I got slammed by my drummer for overplaying, especially in Honky Tonk Women. He thinks there should only be one guitar in that song and that I should just lay out and sing and let the other guitar player carry the song. There are other songs he thinks I should do this in also. My problem is I've played in three piece bands for most of my life (still do, my other band is a three piece) and it sounds so empty to me when I'm not playing. OH, well. I can see his point, although it still hurts a little (ego, you know...). I just dig playing and singing so much that it would probably be better if I just took the damn guitar off during those songs........nah......I'd probably turn into Sinatra (just kidding...)
Mike.
Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 289 Location: Baltimore, Md
Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 9:05 am Post subject: This reminds me...
Magvike said:
Quote:
...but I got slammed by my drummer for overplaying, especially in Honky Tonk Women.
This reminds me of a joke:
Q: How do you get a guitar player to stop playing?
A: Put a chart in front of him.
Long as were talking Sinatra, Martin, etc., we might as well mention fellow Rat-Pack member Sammy Davis, Jr, who had a pretty good set of pipes, as well as being a heck of a dancer...he was sorta the Michael Jackson of his day!
Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 9:15 am Post subject: Re: This reminds me...
AndyR wrote:
Magvike said:
Quote:
...but I got slammed by my drummer for overplaying, especially in Honky Tonk Women.
This reminds me of a joke:
Q: How do you get a guitar player to stop playing?
A: Put a chart in front of him.
Long as were talking Sinatra, Martin, etc., we might as well mention fellow Rat-Pack member Sammy Davis, Jr, who had a pretty good set of pipes, as well as being a heck of a dancer...he was sorta the Michael Jackson of his day!
Andy
Yep and not to forget Los LOBOTOMYS always have a poster of Sammy Davis on stage................ Diseased with rythm!!!!!!
Now Mike I think your playing is so good that your dudes are just undertaking your art. Kick ass to the moronic drummer & tell him just to groove, Honky tonk is just a kinky english tune... (when it comes to the Stones I just can fill Mick Taylor shoes no one else , my heart is in america the land of the great Jimi Hendrix).
Going back on the weird jokes , i've a lot on drummers..........
How do you know a drummer is knocking on your door.?
The rythm is out of time ......................... Ok this one is terrible .
This one :
Do you know when a drummer is going to be fired?????????
When he starts to say : "wait a minut guys i've composed this tune too"
Mmmmmmm not better ...............................
Joined: 19 Sep 2003 Posts: 646 Location: City of Trees, USA
Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:32 am Post subject:
There's an expression that "the eyes are the window to the soul," but maybe it's not the eyes. Maybe its the singing voice. Good example this past Saturday night at Moe's Alley in Santa Cruz, California, with the three Ford brothers and bandmates together. Robben, Mark Ford, and Volker Strifler took turns with the vocals. Each one was great, and each was unique. It's OK to say that you prefer one singer's voice over another. But everyone should be encouraged to sing sometime. _________________ - BlueRunner
Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:48 am Post subject: that is
Exactly, Blue you give me the opportunitie to bump on something i forgot to say :
I like very much Mark Ford singing, it have something of young Robben on Helium and some things really unique.
The evening you watched seems to be THE must for every Ford fan to witness. .
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 150 Location: Ibaraki, Japan
Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 6:26 am Post subject:
Quote:
I like very much Mark Ford singing, it have something of young Robben on Helium and some things really unique.
There's a definite 'Ford family resemblance' in the voices. I sometimes get them confused on the Butterfield tribute, at least for the first few bars or so. Mark's good but he tends to overegg it a bit more than Robben. Robben tends to be a little more controlled. But still very similar in my humble opinion.
the thing about it is that Robben has got it under control and makes the best out of his voice and Mark should not try to pretend to have a great rough voice but maybe try to sing an octave deeper with less effort.
Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 886 Location: SF Bay Area
Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 3:31 pm Post subject:
Maybe if they got together and shared some techniques. While in older recordings, Marks voice sounds thinner and like he has a higher register than Robben's, it was interesting to hear them singing so many different songs at the same time last Saturday. Mark voice tightens up and he strains at notes that Robben hits effortlessly. Especially at this show, Robben's upper register was in complete control and unforced. But then Mark would lean back from the mike and belt out a line that went way beyond his normal range, and it would come out great. If he can learn to do this without hurting his voice, and have it at his command over more dynamics it would be awesome. It adds that emotional blues character that we come to expect. Similarly, Robben has gotten away from the growls and belting and sounds more refined, and I wish a bit of that rawness would come back. I've heard that there are vocal coaches who are able to take a singers untrained affectations and rework them into techniques that sound the same but don't damage the voice. Michael Jackson supposedly worked with someone as his voice changed to learn how to keep the same register (okay, I know the jokes about the other things he did to keep singing Ben), as did a lot of rock tenors when they started touring lots, and found that what they could do to their voices on the weekends at the local club, they couldn't keep up 5 nights a week in arenas. _________________ There are no such things as wrong notes, there's only the look on your face.
My Stuff: www.stevekirbymusic.com
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There's an expression that "the eyes are the window to the soul," but maybe it's not the eyes. Maybe its the singing voice. Good example this past Saturday night at Moe's Alley in Santa Cruz, California, with the three Ford brothers and bandmates together. Robben, Mark Ford, and Volker Strifler took turns with the vocals. Each one was great, and each was unique. It's OK to say that you prefer one singer's voice over another. But everyone should be encouraged to sing sometime.