Spontaneity is one of Robben Ford’s earmarks. So, recording nine backing tracks in one day, then adding vocals and finishing touches a week later (rarely attempted these days) played to his strength.
To say the 62-year-old’s credits are all over the map – from Charlie Musselwhite in ’71, then ricocheting from Joni Mitchell to George Harrison, the Yellowjackets, Miles Davis, kindred spirit Larry Carlton, his group the Blue Line, and even Kiss – is an understatement. But the blues is where Ford is really at home, although not necessarily bound by the idiom.
Whatever the surroundings, he injects a bluesy vibe, in his unaffected vocals and guitar playing, where he’s a true innovator, adding a more sophisticated harmonic sense and chord vocabulary without losing the genre’s essence.
This, his 10th solo project, is one of his best. Superb backing – solid rather than flashy, particularly from drummer Wes Little – is a big factor. It allows Ford to deliver some of his best songs to date, with plenty of the type of playing fans are more used to seeing him summon live.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s June ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.