Robben Ford Discussion

arfy · Member Joined: 22 Jul 2003 Posts: 9

I recently bought a CD featuring selections from the 20 disc Miles at Montreux CD and one of the tracks features some great playing by Robben Ford. After doing some searches, I identified some Miles Davis releases that features Robben's playing. They are all live recordings, and they appear to be bootlegs, although they're European releases so I'm not totally sure. The titles are "King of Priests," "Robben's Blues," "Social Music," and "Maze."
Has anyone here ever heard any of these? I recently bought a live Miles CD on Ebay from the same year featuring Garth Webber on guitar instead of Robben, I think it's on the same label as the releases with Robben, but have yet to see any of the CDs with Ford available. Robben's playing on the one track with Miles I have heard is in the vein of the CD he did with Joe DiOrio and his playing on the two Echoes of Ellington CDs, some really nice and often 'out' jazz lines alternating with some great blues lick type stuff, all done with that great dirty yet clear overdrive he uses.
Anyone else into this aspect of Robben's playing? I don't think any one can touch him at that type of thing, unfortunately these recordings are not as well known as his work under his own name and his more commercial session work.

kirk95 · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 6:50 am Post subject:

You mean Robben "I'm only a blues player" Ford? That's what he said at the clinic I attended. Modest guy!

Robben is a great jazz player too...and the way he fuses blues into everything he does is pure genius!

I need to track down the Miles/ Robben stuff! Garth played with Miles? I did not know that.

Check out the first two Yellowjackets LPs...smoking!

Cool

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renico00 · Member Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 32

This is some of the really good stuff!!!! It's so hard to find, but I recently ran into about 8 tracks of bootlegs from those days. I was always looking for Robben with Miles. There was also an HBO special or something like that with Robben and Miles. A friend used to have the tape, but no longer does. If anyone happens to recognize what I'm talking about and has a recording of it I'd be very much interested.

David - I believe Garth took over for Robben. Little known fact: Robben called Buzz Feiten to take over, but Buzz turned the offer down. I always wondered what would have been if there was a Buzz and Miles.

See ya
Jeff

GMac · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 4:43 pm Post subject:

I have copies of the following shows Robben played with Miles
4/06/86 Beacon Theatre New York
04/25/86, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Saenger Theater, LA,
07/1986, Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland
The set list is bascally the same for all shows
The Beacon Theatre show I think is one of the first shows Robben played with Miles and his playing is a bit subdued, but on the other two shows his playing is up there with his best work.

PierreL · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2003 12:28 am Post subject:

I have "King of Priests" and "Social Music", and the sound quality is actually not very good. But it's good to hear Robben playing in such a setting. Regarding Miles, a box of all his Montreux concerts has been released, including one 1986 concert featuring Robben Ford . The problem is that you have to buy the whole box to get this one, and that's about 10 or 12 CDs. I know that they were talking at some point of releasing the CDs individually, but so far it hasn't been done.

arfy · Member Joined: 22 Jul 2003 Posts: 9

Anyone above care to do some tape trading of some of these shows?