RECORDS

‘Night in The City’ was recorded at City Winery in Nashville, TN in 2021, and features Ford with Nate Smith on drums, Anton Nesbit on bass, Jeff Coffin and Jovan Quallo on saxophones. The album is a mix of new and old material, with most of the compositions coming from Ford's 'Pure'. Two vocal songs are also included: 'Cotton Candy' from 'Purple House' and a re-working of 'Just Another Country Road' from 'A Day in Nashville'. Night In The City is a must-have for fans of Robben Ford and anyone who loves the essence of blues-rock. The album display Ford's virtuosity on the guitar, and captures the excitement of the live performance perfectly.

From the get-go of the good time rocker ‘Ever Ready Sunday’ Evans and Ford are in a take-no-prisoners mood.

Each of course has been in the other’s musical orbit for decades, with their time with Miles their most notable common ground. But they didn’t fully collaborate until 2019’s The Sun Room which also featured Keith Carlock. Indeed it’s the locked-down powerhouse of Carlock and Jones that steals the show on Common Ground. Whether it’s on the soulful ‘Sentimental Mood’ or especially on the extended ‘Hearts for Havana’, where Carlock moves through a set of patterns that lifts Ford’s dirty blues then most notably ebbs and flows around Evans ecstatic soprano, the drum-bass duo never let the front men sit on their substantial laurels.

There’s the inevitable soul-edged plea for peace, love and understanding on the title track, but Mutzke’s vox never subsides into schmaltz. Fans will lap up Common Ground, cheered that there’s no evidence of waning powers.

Traditionally, instrumental releases only appeal to a small niche of the music listener, but I encourage you to give this a chance if you normally wouldn’t. The listener gets engrossed in the feel of the music, and eventually forgets that it’s an instrumental release. You just hear musicians having a great time expressing themselves through their art. All in all, Pure is another musical snapshot into the vast catalog that is Robben Ford. It’s a great release from beginning to end that will thrill Ford’s loyal following, while hopefully garnering him new fans as well. - Blues Rock Review

The Sun Room is exactly what you get when two legendary musicians join forces together, in this case virtuoso jazz/blues guitarist Robben Ford and acclaimed saxophonist Bill Evan, the duo joined by current Steely Dan drummer Keith Carlock and bassist James Genus, who has played with the likes of Lee Konitz, Michael Brecker, Branford Marsalis and Chick Corea. It’s a recipe for success ladies and gentleman!

Featuring Ford & Evans original compositions, The Sun Room contains a total of nine tracks, all fused with elements of swinging jazz and emotional blues. “Star Time” and “Catch a Ride” both are chock full of groove and a myriad of solo spots, while “Big Mama” pulsates and oozes, Rob Aries adding in some atmospheric organ and Ford launching into a sizzling solo before being joined by his partner in crime Evans. “Gold On My Shoulder” is a blues pop number with some strong vocals courtesy of Ford, and the laid back “Pixies” is a jazzy number with plenty of melodic explorations from Evans. The sax master takes over on vocals for the more blues-rock oriented “Insomnia”, while the two lengthy closing tracks “Strange Days” and “Bottle Opener” contain a wealth of electric & acoustic guitar textures from Ford that allow Evans to soar to the heavens, the latter also a great vehicle for the rhythm team to go into overdrive.

Classy stuff all around from these masterful musicians, The Sun Room is a must hear for jazz and blues fans alike. - Jazz Blues News

Purple House, co-produced by Casey Wasner, features nine powerhouse tracks and the album’s genesis, according to Ford, was simple and uncomplicated.

“My concept for the record was to do something with a lot more emphasis on the production than I’ve had in the past”, says Robben. “I’m always pushing myself with each record. I haven’t made one record that sounded like the one before it and this was going to be no different. ‘Purple House’ was a great opportunity to try something really different.” - RF

“Musically, the idea for Made to Last was to do something Chicago blues-oriented, which is a style I’m always flirting with,” Ford says. “It’s kind of like jump music in a way, like jump and swing. You have to be a little careful with that in terms of sounding cliché and old, but it’s great. So the sound on Made to Last is no keyboards, and that’s very intentional. I brought in a rhythm guitarist instead, Casey Wasner, who’s playing in my working band. He’s a jack of all trades: he’s been a guitar tech, a stage manager, a monitor man, he even played drums for Keb’ Mo’ for many years. He’s multitalented and a great guy to have around.” - RF

Thirteen’s unlucky for some, but as it’s that many years since the core trio last recorded under the Jing Chi moniker then it’s definitely lucky for us. The Ford/ Haslip/Colaiuta troika has of course recorded together under many guises, but Supremo is very much driven by Ford in his blues and R&B mode, with virtually all the material his. This is familiar blues and groove stuff but as ever played with a vim that can’t help but sway the hips, as on the slow-grooved waltz of ‘Casablanca’, the soul-funk tinged ‘SPM’ or the blues-rock attack of ‘The Majestic’. But what lifts the whole project is the brass presence; just as Samantha Fish, in a different blues mode, refreshed her sound with a New Orleans brass section, so the brass spikes and punch of Coffin and Haynes enrich each cut. Bung in some outrageous country fun with Vince Gill on ‘Vegas’ and Supremo is worth the 13-year wait. - Jazz Wise

Continuing his latter-day renaissance, Robben Ford widens his palette on Into the Sun. The very title suggests this 2015 album is bright and open, and it is. There's a nice, relaxed groove to this record as Ford plays as much Southern-fried soul and funky jazz as he does blues. All of these sounds intersect at Ford's sweet spot. He's a sly, versatile guitarist who can dip into a variety of styles without seeming like a dilettante, and on Into the Sun, that includes the lazy acoustic opener "Rose of Sharon," which finds its counterpart on "Justified," a backporch blues duet with Keb' Mo'. Other guests are here -- ZZ Ward shines on "Breath of Me," Warren Haynes spars on "High Heels and Throwing Things," Sonny Landreth shows up for "So Long 4 U" -- a sign of Ford's generosity. Then again, this wide array of players fit neatly into Ford's soulful style, which is unified by its love of rhythm & blues -- meaning both the groove and the long, yet unflashy, solos -- and open-hearted vibe. - AllMusic

There are a few performers who continue to show their versatility during the course of a fairly long career, but still manage to keep a sense of coherence to their music and sound. Guitarist Robben Ford is definitely of those artists. He has had a career that included stints with bluesman Jimmy Witherspoon, along with Joni Mitchell, George Harrison and even Miles Davis. And yet over the years, the blues has been his general point of focus for his own musical projects. Robben Ford has just released his latest recording called A Day in Nashville.

The new CD, to be released in the US in early March 2014, is literally true in its title, A Day in Nashville. That is where it was recorded and how long it took. However, the recording venue, the capital of country music, does not lead to a twangy sound. While it's basically bluesy, the mostly original material has some of the stylistic layers typical of Ford's music, and this time the lyrics make it a bit like a bluesy singer-songwriter record. - George Graham

There’s a reason these guys have fronted countless recordings, even while appearing as first-call sidemen with everyone from Miles Davis to Steely Dan to Joni Mitchell. Every time one of them picks up the guitar, it’s an encyclopedic wonder.

On their third recent collaborative release — and Carlton’s first-ever acoustic album with Ford — is a definitive reminder about the old saw involving opposites and attraction.

Distinctive from one another, and yet completely in sync, Unplugged follows the similarly intuitive Live in Tokyo in 2007 and Paris Concert in 2008. This stripped-down format puts a still greater focus on their utter musical symbiosis. - Something Else Reviews

Robben Ford's last studio effort, 2007's Truth, received a Grammy nomination for best contemporary blues album. Where that recording focused on his workmanlike songwriting skills and his prodigious guitar technique, Bringing It All Back Home highlights other aspects of his musical persona. This is Ford putting on offer his considerable skills as a bandleader and song interpreter. There's not a lot of superpicker athleticism on display here, and there doesn't need to be. Backed a smoking band that includes organist Larry Goldings, drummer Harvey Mason, bassist David Pilch, and trombonist Stephen Baxter, Ford makes it look easy. On this series of mainly cover tunes, his modern blues is infused with his love of New Orleans' R&B throughout. - All Music

Renegade Creation’s “Bullet” is an essential addition for any lover of classic and blues rock forms who yearns for “turn on a dime” (see telepathic) guitar interplay, and everything solid and musically transforming about an impossibly good bass guitar/drum kit duo! Each song possess a hypnotic and sublime character that has the unmistakable sound of good friends playing good music together.

Each tune is a showcase for the band, both collectively and individually, and the dept, wealth and collective musical knowledge and ability inherent in this quartet speaks loudly in each stanza, solo, and hook. It is no wonder why contrived commerciality and gimmicry routinely fails to make music on this level. “Bullet” is all soul, all quality and zero fluff. From the first listen-through, I was reminded of how thankful I am for good music like this. This is a must have release! - Bass Musician

Renegade Creation (Blues Bureau International - a division of Shrapnel Records) is a thinking man's blues rock album featuring a dream-team of four top shelf musicians - Michael Landau (guitar), Robben Ford (guitar), Jimmy Haslip (bass) and Gary Novak (drums). Though this is the first time the four have recorded an album together, it's not as though there's no history between these players. Ford and Haslip go back to the pre-Yellowjackets days, Landau has played with Ford many times (including a late-70s west coast tour that included Haslip), both Landau and Ford have used Novak on various tours and recordings, you get the idea. Some of you may envision "west coast jazz" when you think of these musicians, but what they've done here is far removed from that scene. Renegade Creation is a guitar-driven, predominantly vocal rock album, with a heavy emphasis on blues; more akin to Ford and Landau's vocal recordings than any manner of jazz or fusion. And believe me when I say it's "guitar-driven" - this disc is packed with killer playing and to-die-for tones from both guitarists, who also make a great pairing on this type of material. - Richard Murray (Guitar Channel)

While he's largely lived in the blues world for much of his career, guitarist Robben Ford has always been defined by a jazz sensibility. Sure, there's the grease and grit of overdriven, wah-wah'd electric guitar and a strong, rock-hard backbeat; but Ford's language since Robben Ford and the Blue Line (Stretch, 1992) has been a compelling combination of visceral blues bends and more evolved harmony. It's no surprise that he's been the go-to guitarist for everyone from Miles Davis and Charlie Haden to Keb' Mo' and John Mayall. Soul on Ten isn't Ford's first live album but it's a hot one, covering some of his best material from the past decade, hitting hard on a couple of blues standards from Willie Dixon, Elmore James, and Jimmy Reed, and introducing a couple of new originals into the repertoire. - All About Jazz

Robben Ford’s latest CD, Truth, mines a richer vein of modern blues and blues-influenced grooves than he has ever tapped before on a solo release. It is still eclectic in nature, drawing on the required diverse range of styles we’ve come to expect from Ford, but every song is a deeper shade of blue. His straight forward blues is bluesier. His Memphis-style arrangements are more soulful, the funky jump pockets are tighter and his R&B is groovier. Many of the complex keyboard voicings have been replaced with searing B-3, the writing is more sophisticated in a less-is-more blues fashion and the arrangements themselves are generally simpler. Oh, and those endlessly creative solos are there, too- sometimes defining melodic efficiency and sometimes calling you out with a swagger that is bold yet refined. This is the Robben Ford CD that will win over anyone who isn’t already a fan. - Premier Guitar

A five-time Grammy nominee and named as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of the 20th Century by Musician magazine, Robben Ford is a premier American blues and jazz guitarist who has played with stellar artists as diverse as Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Greg Allman, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayall and George Harrison.

Our two concerts took place almost a decade apart. The first, in April 1998, was at the Leverkusen Bluesfest, with a band comprising Neil Larsen on keyboards plus Blue Line stalwarts Roscoe Beck on bass and Tom Brechtlein on drums. - Repertoire Records

"City Life" is a collaboration between guitarist Robben Ford and drummer Jerry Granelli, an all instrumental jazz and fusion project which was partially recorded in 1988 and partially recorded in 1992. "City Life" also features stellar artists contributing to the music, including guitarist Bill Frisell, synthesist Ralph Towner, trombone player Julian Priester, bassist Charlie Haden, alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett and more. Sharp-eyed fans will remember these tracks released under the album title of "Blues Connotation" back in the mid-1990's, and now these tracks are finally available again. Shortly after the recording of these tracks, Ford returned to his devotion to the blues, so this fusiony improv style wasn't to be heard again in a long time. - Guitar Nine

Track Listing
1. Colonel Panic
2. Chi Town
3. Move On
4. Hidden Treasure
5. Time is a Magazine
6. Mezzanine Blues
7. Blues Alley
8. Its Nobody’s Fault But Mine
9. Tangled Up

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Keep on Running is probably Ford's least jazzy album, while he emphasizes both the blues and Memphis and Muscle Shoals soul. He pays tribute to the great rhythm sections of the two Southern recording meccas in the 1960s, as well drawing inspiration from some of the British blues of the same period, covering songs by the Spencer Davis Group and Cream. He includes some material from the period, but also includes a fair amount of original music in that style.

He is joined by some notable backing musicians, including British blues patriarch John Mayall on harmonica, Ivan Neville of the Neville Brothers on some backing vocals and keyboards, and Edgar Winter on sax. Ford's band includes bassist Jimmy Earl, and drummers Toss Panos and Steve Potts alternating. Bob Malach, from the jazz world, is also frequently featured on sax. - George Graham

"Jing Chi Live!" is a collaboration between renowned guitarist Robben Ford, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (Sting, Frank Zappa, Steely Dan) and bassist Jimmy Haslip (Yellow Jackets, Tommy Bolin, Steely Dan) who each have contributed to millions of record sales. "Jing Chi Live!" brings to mind the essence of classic Power Trios such as Cream crossed with the adventurous sophistication of fusion pioneers such as The Tony Williams Lifetime. As fans would expect, this live CD recorded in December 2002 at Yoshi's in Oakland, California focuses on each player's phenomenal musical abilities. However, this record is more than a vehicle for fantastic soloing as the compositions stand on their own as well arranged pieces of music that exhibit a synergy rarely heard in today's music. This record, recorded over several nights in concert, takes the performances from these stellar musicians and combines for one of the greatest displays of instrumental virtuosity in Tone Center's history. The fans that really want to see these guys stretch out creatively will not be disappointed. - Guitar Nine

Robben Ford comes to fusion by way of the blues, which partially explains why Ford, Vinnie Colaiuta and Jimmy Haslip’s Jing Chi (Tone Center) is easier on the ears than a lot of guitar-led fusion efforts. Ford walks a tasteful line between the two spheres: blues-bred phrasing without the blockheaded post-Vaughan blooze cliches and uncrowded, fusion-inspired runs across the fretboard. Then again, with the formidable Haslip on bass and the equally staggering Colaiuta on drums, the space between Ford’s notes is in extremely good hands. His playing on tunes like the nudgingly funky “Stan Key,” the airy “Tengoku” and the organ-cushioned “Man in the Ring” are a reminder that fewer notes is often better. - Jazz Times

Five times Grammy Nominee Robben Ford has distinguished himself in a variety of genres, from R&B to jazz-fusion. The guitarist/singer's first love has always been the blues, an idiom he has explored at several points in his richly varied career. Ford's new album, "Blue Moon" - his first recording for the Concord label - takes the eclectic musician back to his musical roots. From the very first track - a spirited take on Little Walter's "Up The Line" - it's clear that Ford is a rarity among musicians: a technical virtuoso who can play with true blues authenticity. Robben's own compositions for "Blue Moon" take in a broad emotional range, from the jazzy film noir mood of "Good to Love" to the smooth Muscle Shoals groove of "Don't Deny Your Love" to the all out grit of "Indianola" - Robben's instrumental tribute to B.B. King. - Guitar Nine

Track Listing
1. Let Me In
2. Supernatural
3. Nothing to Nobody
4. Water for the Wicked
5. Don’t Lose Your Faith in Me
6. Hey Brother
7. Def, Dumb and Blind (For O.T.)
8. If
9. When I Cry Today
10. You Got Me Knockin’
11. Lovin’ Cup

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This is a keeper from the word "go." Recorded live in 1995 (but not released until 1998) at Yoshi's in Oakland, CA, Robben Ford is joined by long-time Blue Line trio members Roscoe Beck on bass and Tom Brechtlein on drums, as well as Bill Boublitz on a baby grand piano. Although nearly all of the songs can be found on other Ford albums (most are from Handful of Blues), one of the things that makes this recording so special is that Ford is playing only an acoustic guitar. The Ray Charles gem "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" (which you WON'T find elsewhere) is simply beautiful, and on Paul Butterfield's "Lovin' Cup," it's just Ford and his guitar. The brilliance of his playing and the reason behind why so many guitar players put him at the top of their list can be found in Ford's performance on this release, alternating between lead and rhythm. The Authorized Bootleg also has great versions of "When I Leave Here" and "Tired of Talkin'." Highly, highly recommended. - All Music

At its core Tiger Walk is a quartet recording centering around Ford, Bernie Worrell on clavinet and organ, Charlie Drayton on bass guitars, and Steve Jordon on drums and percussion. Benmont Tench of Heartbreakers fame plays organ on "The Champ," with Russell Ferrante on piano and Lenny Castro on percussion. Castro chips in on the hard-driving "In the Beginning" as well. Bob Malach adds tenor to three tracks; Ronnie Cuber brings in his baritone-tones for two. Ford’s artistry is undeniable and shown to good effect throughout this recording. Every now and then I caught myself listening for that unmistakable Harmon-muted trumpet to drift in over the groove, but most of the time Ford's pyrotechnics are more than enough to hold one's attention. "In the Beginning" is hot, but "Ghosts" (not Ayler's) ups the ante. "Freedom" shows that our man can play sweet too, although Jordon hardly lowers the level of his drums. "Red Lady w/ Cello" contains, alas, no cello, or red lady either, but does feature some wah-wah from Robben. "Just Like It Is" should not be overlooked by wah-wah fans either — sounds like "Haitian Divorce," but meaner, leaner, and cleaner. "I Can't Stand the Rain" ventures into real down-and-dirty blues territory, and Ford shows he belongs. One of the other tracks is called "The Champ," which he very well may be at this point. Of funky electric blues guitar. Or of groovy Milesian leisurewear (check out his tigerprint shirt in the inside photo.) Tiger Walk is as solid an outing as has ever come from this man, who is certainly a master of his instrument and chosen genre. - All about Jazz

The heart and soul of Ford’s playing, however, is the blues (though, admittedly, he is one of its funkiest, jazziest practitioners), and his range is represented in the fine album Handful Of Blues. The album was recorded with his trio The Blue Line at the now-defunct Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, and released on August 31, 1995, when Ford was 44.

The Blue Line was comprised of Ford, bassist Roscoe Beck, and drummer Tom Brechtlein, another jazz fusion player who had been part of Chick Corea’s band. Ford said that the trio’s creativity came from a mutual feeling that they were playing with peers, working hard, and were all on the same musical wavelength. “It is hard to find that kind of synchronicity,” he said.

Handful Of Blues covers a variety of styles, including jazz-blues balladry (“Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”), Texas shuffle (“Tired Of Talkin”) and jump blues (“The Miller’s Son”). It opens with the pulsating “Ragged Road,” which was given a promo video to coincide with a West Coast tour the band made in support of Handful Of Blues. This upbeat, rock-influenced song features the sort of clean and exquisitely formed lines and groove that are associated with Ford. - Discover Music

Track Listing
1. He Don’t Play Nothin’ But the Blues
2. Busted Up
3. Politician
4. Worried Life Blues
5. Misdirected Life Blue
6. Moth to a Flame
7. Trying to Do the Right Thing {For Anne}
8. Say What’s on Your Mind
9. The Plunge
10. Mystic Mile

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The debut set by guitarist Robben Ford with his Blue Line trio (a blues band with bassist Roscoe Beck and drummer Tom Brechtlein) finds Ford returning to his roots and playing the music that best fits his style. An effective singer, it is for Ford's powerful guitar playing that this CD (which has seven originals among the nine numbers) is most highly recommended to blues collectors. - All Music

On his 1988 solo effort Talk to Your Daughter, singer/guitarist Robben Ford proves himself a master of sophisticated blues-rock guitar playing. The material is quite strong, and all the musicians perform at the highest level, but it's Ford's stellar soloing that makes this release. Fans of flailing '80s rock virtuosos would do well to check out Ford's exceptional work on Talk to Your Daughter. The musician's colorful yet controlled improvising and harmonic mastery is a rare and beautiful sonic treat. The title track is dripping with soulful, well-placed guitar lines that play like a master lesson of up-tempo blues phrasing that guitarists would do well to study. Other standouts include "Born Under a Bad Sign" and "Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues." The fine arrangements and especially Vinnie Colaiuta's sharp drumming are all tightly wound with crisp, clear production that tops off "Talk to Your Daughter," making it a shining success. Listeners fond of Ford's work with the Yellowjackets and numerous side gigs, as well as guitarists and all musicians, should enjoy this very professional, succinctly executed offering. First rate! - All Music

By the time this record has been released, Ford had already recorded a couple of records under his own name, but this one, the only one he made between 1976 and 1988, established him as a force in both fusion jazz and blues worlds. For the session, produced by Stax legend Steve Cropper, a trio of young, relative unknowns were recruited for his rhythm section: keyboardist Russell Ferrante, bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Ricky Lawson. The three found instant rapport that they quickly made into their own band—-The Yellowjackets—-and a couple of years later they snagged a Warner Brothers contract and their first album followed in 1981 (with Ford on board as an unofficial fourth member). But that's another story. The Inside Story has its tale to tell, and it's a story about the music. - All about Jazz

Track Listing
1. Low Down Dirty Shame
2. Goin’ Down Slow
3. Kansas City
4. Past Forty Blues
5. Times are Getting Tough
6. I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town
7. S-K Blues
8. Around the Clock
9. Walkin’ by Myself
10. No Rollin’ Blues

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Schizophonic is a jazz album by Robben Ford, released in 1976. The album title refers to Robben Ford’s interest in playing two instruments. He began playing saxophone at the age of ten, but at thirteen he heard blues guitarist Mike Bloomfield. The music is a mix between different styles in the jazz. From Blues in the first track, alongside Latin to more Jazz fusion as known from his later album The Inside Story.

Discovering the Blues is culled from a series of concerts Robben Ford gave in the early '70s at Huntington Beach's Golden Bear and Ash Grove in Hollywood. At the time, Ford was just beginning his career, and his style wasn't nearly as accomplished as it would later be. Instead, he simply burns, tearing through blues classics with a passion and vigor -- there is a joy of discovery in his playing which makes the music nearly transcendent, even with its flaws. Discovering the Blues is rawer than most records in Ford's catalog, but any serious fan will find it a necessary addition to their collection. - All Music

It's ironic that some of the people who swear up and down that they don't like jazz will get into Robben Ford, whose career has as much to do with jazz as it does with blues, pop, soul and rock. Though Ford was never a "jazz snob," his jazz credentials are quite solid. Jazz, blues and rock are all primary ingredients of Sunrise, a CD that was released in 1999 and contains live performances at Los Angeles and London venues in 1972. Back then, the singer/guitarist was in his early twenties and hadn't yet become famous, but those who were hip to Ford knew that he was a unique young talent who had considerable promise. This unpredictable and highly enjoyable collection ranges from the hardcore instrumental jazz of Miles Davis' "Eighty One" (which finds Ford playing the sax) and jazz-rock fusion of "Miss Miss" to spirited performances of Willie Dixon's "Little Red Rooster" and Peter Chatman's "Every Day I Have the Blues." The latter finds Ford performing a vocal duet with blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon, who is the only vocalist on "Ain't Nobody's Business." The late Witherspoon thought the world of Ford, and it's easy to see why they got along so well -- like Ford, Witherspoon was an eclectic, unpredictable artist who held jazz and the blues in equally high regard. Whether you're into jazz, blues or rock -- or all of the above -- Sunrise is a CD to savor. - All Music