Robben Ford Discussion

[marinblues]

I was listening to "Two Against Nature" the other day and I thought that Donald and Walter should really get Robben to play on one of their CDs.

For those familiar with the CD, just immagine substituting Walters solo's with Robbens.


I think that it could really work out.


marin

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LOVE QUOTES ADVICE

[Aeolian]

Walter sounds so much like Larry on this, even down to the glissandos and vibrato. Robben would probably have sounded a bit more "energetic" which would have made the guitar solo the "peak" of the song.
_________________
There are no such things as wrong notes, there's only the look on your face.
My Stuff: www.stevekirbymusic.com

[marinblues]

I was thinking about something in terms of "Even Song" (Yellowjackets).


marin

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GLASS BUBBLERS

[kirk95]

[Aeolian]

Kirk,

I agree, Walter is no Larry, not even close. It's just that when I first heard this (I found the CD in a car deck I bought, someone must have returned it and forgot to take the CD out) I thought that they had brought Larry in to do some of those non-obtrusive sweet little fills he does so well. A buddy pointed out that it was Walter doing that. It sounded to me like Walter was trying to cop the phrasing and sound that Larry would have done. If you're going to steal, might as well set your sights high. I remember going crazy trying to get the feel of those lines on Lady Want's To Know many years ago. Never made it but it made me a better player for the effort.
_________________
There are no such things as wrong notes, there's only the look on your face.
My Stuff: www.stevekirbymusic.com

[gitarz*r*us]

When Steely Dan was recording "Aja," they had all the hot guitar players from L.A. come into the studio and take a crack at the solo on "Peg." As we all know now, Jay Graydon's version was released and for those of us who learned it note-for-note, it was complicated! (Actually, there were a lot of "punch ins," so even Jay didn't run it down from top to bottom.) Robben was invited to try his hand at the solo section. I would give my eye teeth to hear those tracks!

[Aeolian]

[LongIslandRod]

I read an interview with Robben in Guitar Player, shortly after Talk to Your Daughter was released. He said he never did play with or record for Steely Dan, but really wanted the opportunity. A question I failed to ask Robben at the August Clinic.....

Walter is nowhere near Larry. I think Walter's playing is boring on The Last Mall. It fact The Last Mall leaves me flat, gone are the great SD hooks of the 70's and 80's. The Last Mall - sounds to me like Adult Comtemporary crap -that stuff they play on the radio called Cool Jazz........and that stuff really makes me sick.


I agree Kirk - The Royal Scam Rules... It changed my world too.

Rod

[Bluelobster]

Ok Gentlemen Walter and Donald (sounds like a cartoon,) are really great composers. uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh??????


WALTER IS A BASS PLAYER ( first of all, if i can add my two cents)l

nobody rumbles about the fact that robben plays keyboard on his CD.
And he is good but not that much a great electric piano player!!!!!

[Aeolian]

[bluejack]

Jay Graydon has a chapter in the book 'Ten' pub. by GIT which includes a transcription of the solo in 'Peg'
J

[Phil T]

[jazzblues]

Maybe I can help you on this one.
I think i read in this interview with Tommy Tedesco and Jay Graydon in Guitar Player at least 10 years ago about How to become a Studio Guitarplayer,that Jay played on 'Peg',and that there were already some other solo's recorded,wich he thought were killer'and that he believed that Robben played one of them.
There is a DVD out,and very much available here in Holland about the making of AJA,and on this DVD Walter and Donald sit together at the mixing console,play some of the tracks,and discuss their approach regarding the composing and the recording of the album,and they also play 'Peg' and the diversity of guitarsolo's.
I must say remembering the quote from Jay in the interview I was a little disappointed about the quality of the other solo's and they didn't sound like Robben at all.
I do of course like Jay's solo on the track very much,and think it was definitely the best of all the solo's on that specific track.
That DVD is very informative about the genius of Steely Dan,I also believe they have Chuck Rainey in the studio demonstrating some of his bass parts on the record.
All in all a must for Steely Dan fans;I assume that being available in Europe you should not have too much trouble finding the DVD in the US.
I also agree with Kirk on Larry Carltons playing on Kid Charlemagne and Don't Take me Alive;gutwrenching guitarplaying,and Larry at his best.
I do like SD's record Two against Nature however,but find Walter's playing on their latest record too much of the same thing,and the tunes a little boring. Greetings from a Larry Carlton Robben Ford Steely Dan aficionado from the Netherlands Jazzblues.

[sheadan]

Steely Dan was the bridge between rock and jazz for me.I learned to love Larry Carlton's playing through thier records.That solo Wayne Shorter does on Aja can still make me cry.I guess what I'm trying to say is that they have always meant a lot to me and I always dug their choices of musicians to play on thier albums.There was a time I figured I would never see them live.Now the dream comes true quite often.I agree with one of the earlier entries that I miss the days of the "hired gun"guitarists.I'm not sure why the last two cds have Walter playing so many solos.Same flavor in almost every tune.Hey,I love these guys,but it gets boring.At least they tour with Jon Herrington who is one serious motherfucker to say the least(I'm new,are we allowed to swear?).Anyway,it would be great to hear Robben do some playing with these guys,but that time has passed I guess.Dan