http://kuumbwajazz.org/event/robben-ford-with-the-ford-blues-band/
Oh Yeah...............I know where I'll be on January 26th. I spun Robben's new one, A Day In Nashville, this morning, which just came in the mail from Amazon last week.
A Day In Nashville actually got released somewhere around March 2014 and I finally got around to it. I also saw Robben @ The Kuumbwa in January 2014 and he played probably the entire record. His record company had been pressuring him for a live album and maybe as a concession or maybe partly a slap in the face to them, or maybe both, he went to Nashville and cut this record, a studio album, live with no overdubs. From that show I pretty much knew that this record would be good.
I've been listening to Robben live for over 30 years now...............my first show was at L.A.'s John Anson Ford Theatre, must have been 1982. One thing I can say is that his singing has really improved..............I'd call him a damn good vocalist now. You always know the guitar playing is going to be way over the top of course. But that's the thing about this record................nothing really is "over the top".............a great band just laying back and grooving to some nice new tunes, seven out of nine being written or co-written by Robben. No, it's certainly not a country-tinged record as the title implies. It's a rhythm and blues record for sure, and it's a very good one. A little trombone mixed in at times but never overused. I've only really sat down and listened to this all the way through one time, I'm finishing my second listen as I write. FYI there are two instrumentals on the record. Robben has written some really cool stuff. I'd give this Four out of Five Stars.
Seeing Robben with brothers Mark and Patrick along with Duwayne Pate (bass) and Volker Strifler (guitar)...........well, do I really need to tell you? Having seen this lineup several times, this was not a show that I would miss. The Ford Blues Band put on a great show at The Redwood City Jam last month, but add Robben to the mix for this one...............when you want to talk about great musicians, I guess Robben might come into the conversation.
[Edited on 1/5/2015 by robslob]
Surely his record company hadn't been hassling him for a live album too much. He'd only put out one solo album (Bringing It Back Home) since his last live album (Soul On Ten) in 2009 before this new one came out.
I think I had read that he just wanted to record this new material in different way for "A Day In Nashville" and record the whole thing in one day. So it was record live in the studio but I'm fairly certain that it has some overdubs on it.
"A Day In Nashville" does have Audley Freed on it as well and is an excellent album.
Seeing Gregg Allman and Friends with Robben Ford and Willie Weeks was great. People don't understand why I'm down on Scott Sharrard obviously didn't see this lineup. Robben, Gregg, Willie, the whole show was incredible. Robben's playing pushed Gregg's music to a level of importance that it hadn't been in a long time and certainly not since. Why a live DVD of this version of GAF wasn't recorded shows the lack of foresight (stupidity) Gregg or his management has concerning his career. I also felt this was one of the best things that Robben has been involved with as well.
Seeing Gregg Allman and Friends with Robben Ford and Willie Weeks was great. People don't understand why I'm down on Scott Sharrard obviously didn't see this lineup. Robben, Gregg, Willie, the whole show was incredible. Robben's playing pushed Gregg's music to a level of importance that it hadn't been in a long time and certainly not since. Why a live DVD of this version of GAF wasn't recorded shows the lack of foresight (stupidity) Gregg or his management has concerning his career. I also felt this was one of the best things that Robben has been involved with as well.
I hate people who got to see that Gregg tour w/ Robben on guitar and Willie Weeks on bass. They never even came to the Bay area!
I still love Scott Sharrard's playing though.............it's unfair to ANYONE to compare them to Robben Ford.
I was slated to see the Gregg w/Robben tour, but he bowed out to (I think) promote his Truth disc. My fears were put to rest when Jack Pearson took his place. I caught him in Atlanta once, and he was fantastic. This was back when he used to play those Fender Elites. Never have I picked up so heavy a guitar. It makes a Les Paul feel like a Melody Maker by comparison.
Heads up for Floridians. Robben is playing for free at the Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival on Sunday, February 22nd.
i agree Rob..Robben is in a class by himself.
I hear you Rob. Every tune with Gregg, Robben left my jaw on the floor. And Wille Weeks with Steve Potts oh man ... It's sort of the same with Jerry Jemmott, but just missing that stellar guitar like Jack, Robben, "Dangerous Dan", etc. Buzz Feiten! Did anybody check him out? He's a killer, killer player. Also Mark McGee was really good and played some beautiful parts. 
It's sort of the same with Jerry Jemmott, but just missing that stellar guitar like Jack, Robben, "Dangerous Dan", etc. Buzz Feiten!
While Jerry Jemmott is in the video I posted from 7/2013, he has not been with Gregg for something like a year now. Gregg's current bass player is Ron Johnson.
[Edited on 1/6/2015 by robslob]
