Robben Ford Discussion

FatTeleTom · Senior Member Joined: 12 May 2004 Posts: 191

I realized I never posted anything about my trip to the January 21 clinic in Ojai. Time to fix that.

I won't go into much detail about the basic format and activities of the clinic--several folks have already posted eloquent reports from earlier clinics (reports that helped convince me to make the trip--so thank you!), and this one pretty much followed the same form. Just do a search to dig those up.

Suffice it to say that I'm *extremely* glad I did make the trip.

There were several "light bulb" moments for me that I think will be helpful--from some simple ways of thinking about music theory, to details like a better of understanding of how Robben pulls off some of those diminished licks.

The biggest impact, though, comes from Robben's general approach to music. It's kind of ephemeral stuff that is hard to describe, and will take time, focus, and diligence to really integrate, but I'm looking forward to making that effort.

The joy Robben finds in music is infectious, and serves as a reminder of what it's all about (or at least *should* be about). And I think we all enjoyed questions and answers about Robben's music, career, folks he's worked with, etc. Robben spent a good chunk of time on songwriting, which I also found fascinating.

Lots of interesting folks in attendance--a diverse bunch who've followed many different musical paths that all coincided in Ojai for a day. I found that many of the comments and questions from the attendees really added to the experience.

In the end, there wasn't time time for anyone to get up and play with Robben. So, the only disappointment was that I didn't get a chance to find out if I would have had the nerve to get up and play. That just means I'll just have to go back someday! Very Happy

Oh, I also bought Robben's "Rhythm Blues" book which I've been meaning to pick up, and I'd definitely recommend it--short, sweet, and to the point. Full of nice chord voicings, rhythms, and good advice.

For those who saw my earlier post with questions about where to stay and so fort, the rest of our trip was equally wonderful--all our lodging and dining choices worked out very well, and the weather was spectacular. For future reference:

The Franciscan Inn in Santa Barbara was quite comfortable--very reasonable price, nice breakfast, and only a couple of blocks from the Ocean. Great quickie Mexican food just a couple blocks away (Rudy's I think). We like Santa Barabara *a lot*.

The Lavendar Inn in Ojai also gets a thumbs up. Not cheap, but nice, and quite comfortable. We rolled in at about 5pm on Friday night, just in time for the free wine and appetizers, and a free 10 minute chair massage (my wife ended up having the guy come back for a full hour massage on Saturday while I was at the clinic). Nice gardens, a hammock, and a jacuzzi on site.

In Ojai, we ate at Azu and Pangea--both were excellent.

Heard some good music in Ojai as well: The Movino wine bar in town was hopping friday night with a really good local band playing cajun tunes.

Then, on Saturday night after the clinic, Pangea had a jazzy-blues quartet, fronted by a guitar player/singer who was -- wait for it -- a big Robben Ford fan!

They even did Robben-inspired takes on "Help the Poor" and "Talk to Your Daughter". Really tasty guitar playing, and nice guitar tones too (335-style through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (or Deville) and a Fulltone Fat Boost). Sorry, didn't get his name

We spent Sunday afternoon and part of Monday up in Santa Ynez wine country. The Wine Valley Inn in Solvang worked out nicely, and if you like steaks, the Hitching Post is a must: best steak I've had in a long time.

Thanks again to the folks who wrote about earlier clinics here--I doubt I would have made the long trip without knowing more about what to expect, and I would have been missing a lot.

sfhalo · Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 6:42 am Post subject:

I'm considering doing a very similar thing...........going to one of Robben's clinics, take my wife along and enjoy the local wine country. Since I'm a relatively new discussion board member, I've never seen the previous posts about exactly what takes place during the clinic. Would you mind laying out for me how the day progresses......what actually takes place and how Robben leads the clinic along. This may sound like an incredibly stupid question, but I assume you bring a guitar to the clinic? How many people attend the clinic? Thanks.

JohnnyZ · Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 8:28 am Post subject:

Great review there, FTT.

sfhalo- you might want to try searches on "clinic", "Ojai", and perhaps a few other key words I can't come up with at the moment. But those 2 should get you started. I'll try to find some of the posts too...

To quickly answer some of your questions, the clinic is limited to 25 persons. Bringing a guitar is recommended, but not necessary. Robben does go into some music theory, but he keeps it simple. Optional prerequisite is to read Zen Guitar by Philip Toshio Sudo. It's a great read, plus Robben talks about its many philosophies, which he shares. Other than that, bring a great attitude and a smile, and you'll have a lifelong memory of that day...

jconstant · Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 12:47 pm Post subject:

sfhalo · Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 7:29 pm Post subject:

I was hoping to attend the April 2006 clinic, but will be having shoulder surgery in either April or May. Since the exact date hasn't been scheduled yet, it's impossible for me to think about Robben's class at that time. However, for the very next clinic...............I'll be there. Thanks for all the pertinent info.

Dennis · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 12:27 am Post subject:

Hey sf, I think I'm goining to try to go to the April clinic as well. I have been "thinking" of it for a while and I'm in a big rut, probably just what I need.

I just picked up a new Les Paul supreme in trans amber today. So I would like to see him playing a LP. I have only seen him live with his Bakers.

I'm going to see if my girlfriend wants to go & we will probably make a weekend of is as well......I'm in San Marcos, so it would be cool to see someone else local there.

FatTeleTom · Senior Member Joined: 12 May 2004 Posts: 191

sf:

As noted, just search on "ojai" AND "clinic" and you'll find a bunch of stuff. Below are just a couple of the ones I found helpful. Oh, and I think it's a limit of 25 attendees per clinic, which seems to be a good size.

And I would definitely make a "vacation" of it. Lots to do an LA of course, Santa Barbara is beautiful with the ocean, mountains, shops, etc., and wine country is great (check out the Sunstone winery).

The Ojai valley itself is very pretty, and the town itself just has a cool vibe. It's not overly fancy by any means, but you can tell that a lot of the locals are just plain happy to be living there. Makes for a nice visit.

Here are the threads I mentioned:

http://www.online-discussion.com/RobbenFord/viewtopic.php?p=9618&highlight=ojai+clinic#9618

http://www.online-discussion.com/RobbenFord/viewtopic.php?p=9675&highlight=ojai+clinic#9675

http://www.online-discussion.com/RobbenFord/viewtopic.php?p=10703&highlight=ojai+clinic#10703

Tom

sfhalo · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 5:51 pm Post subject:

Tom:

The links you included were perfect..........exactly what I was looking for. I was really hoping to attend the April 8th clinic, but my upcoming shoulder surgery in April/May has prevented me from planning anything during those months. I sent Anne a message asking when the next clinics might be planned and she responded this morning that July & October are possibilities, depending on Robben's schedule. I'll definitely be joining 24 other RF devotees in October. Thanks for your help.