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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:	GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:	Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:	KDX200::COOPER

Created:	Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	3280
Total number of notes:	61432

1582.0. "Robben Ford" by ROYALT::BUSENBARK () Mon Dec 11 1989 11:02

	On Friday Dec 8th Robben Ford played at Nightstage in Cambridge,
Mass. Without question his current release "Talk To Your Daughter" does
no justice to Robben's capabilitie's of the guitar. Since he said this 
was the last leg of his tour which is ending in NYC it may be some time
till New England gets an oppurtunity to hear him again. I hope not!!!!!
	
	What was incredible was how Robben filled out this 3 piece band,
with the use of triadic/chordal fills to the extent of being actual chord
solo's with a definate melody. His single line solo's were never repetative
throughout the night. His playing technique was very smooth and transitions
from single lines to chord solo's was not noticeable until he was well into
the phrase. His chording was primarily done with the fingers of his right 
hand,in a comping style,but he did use a pick. When he did use a pick 
almost all his movement came from his wrist with minimal arm rotation at
the elbow. His Left hand finger's were alway's very close to the strings,His 
singing was as it was on the record. His guitar tone was incredible also
with an acoustic quality and obviously stereo.
	They did several cut's off his current release and some new 
material including some of which was might of come off of his 1979 release,
"The Inside Story" or Larry Carlton's "Rm335" release.


	FWIW: His racksetup was as follows:

2- Dumble Overdrive Specials
2- Dumbleator's
1- Samson wireless(which he didn't use)
1- Alesis Midiverb II(which he didn't use)
1- TC Electronics Digital effects processor(2390?)
1- Lexicon digital delay/Reverb
1- ADA Midi Foot controller
1- Ernie Ball Volume pedal
2- Dumble 2 12 cab's
1- Dumble Footswitch

	He primarily used his Fender Elite semi-hollow body guitar which
had very acoustic sounding qualities to it,and a couple of times a James 
Tyler custom strat with 3 pickup's,when the Fender went out of tune.
	He was backed up by Roscoe Beck on Bass and a drummer who's name
slip's me,but was quite good also. Roscoe used a 6 string bass and a Fender
Precision with 2 jazz pickup's added. The drummer had a set of Yamaha.
	Considering I traveled quite a distance to see him I would do it
again....Well worth the experiance!

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1582.1	If is wasn't for bad luck...	USRCV1::REAUME	RACKITthenSTACKIT	`Mon Dec 11 1989 15:45`	10
	I saw Robben Ford play a club here in Syracuse, NY about a week ago. Great show! A lot of us geetar players were there to check this guy out. I agree w/.0, It was well worth it! I also checked out his amp rig, nice sound. The whole shebang must run over $6000. Hey, the TC2290 is over $2K. Dumbles? yikes! I thought I was extravagant. He did a nice cover of "Born under a bad sign". This is one axe-slinger that is worth checking out LIVE!
1582.2	Try $10k plus...serious stuff!	ROYALT::BUSENBARK		`Tue Dec 12 1989 09:30`	9
	The Dumble Overdrive Special's start at $2500 each,(probably closer to $3k)the 2 Dumbleators are a $1000 and the 2 Dumble cab's which are loaded with EV's are at least $1000. His use of effects were very subtle with the TC Electronics and the Lexicon. His sound and style really filled out the room. His playing really surpassed my expectations and I believe if you took away all the expensive nice equipment he would still surpasse my expectations. His style of playing both suprised me and pleased me. I have not heard this quality of live music and/or musician for years......very inspiring...
1582.3		RICKS::CALCAGNI	punk jazz	`Tue Dec 12 1989 09:52`	9
	re "Born Under a Bad Sign" I was a bit disappointed with the version of this on Robben's "Talk To Your Daughter" album; sure, he screams, but it's been done better elsewhere. However, live "Born" was one of the treats of the show. Robben totally reworked this tune last Friday night, with a real funky(!) groove. Incredible. /rick
1582.4	one trio under a groove	CRONIC::PCUMMINGS	set def Bbm7b5#13#9sus4,11/E	`Tue Dec 12 1989 21:30`	7
	Yeah! Robben's funky intro on the Nightstage "Bad Sign" sounded as if it might have been inspired by one of his former boss's (Miles) tunes. Classy playin' there Robben! /Paul
1582.5	Nightstage gig	RGB::MANION		`Thu Dec 14 1989 13:12`	9
	Robben was very good. How many albums does he have, and what are the names? I had never heard a Robben Ford song prior to Friday nights show at Nightstage, but I had heard of his reputation. His reputation is well deserved. I can still hear 'Bad Sign' playing in my head. Tom btw - the backup band 'nine below zero' did some very good r & b and are worth checking out in the cambridge/boston area.
1582.6	nice list!	ROYALT::BUSENBARK		`Fri Dec 15 1989 09:46`	57
	This is a pretty extensive list,and some of the later stuff was probably session work. The only real important missing work is when he played with Miles Davis. Solo: Love's a Heartache------Polydor Inside Story------------Warner Bros. Talk to your Daughter---Warner Bros. Yellowjackets:(all Warner Bros.) Yellowjackets Mirage a Trois Casino Lights Charles Ford Band: The Charles Ford Band----Arhoolie A Reunion----------------Blue Rockit Charlie Musselwhite: Takin My Time----------Arhoolie Goin Back Down South---Arhoolie Tell Me Where Have All The Good Times Gone-Blue Rockit Louisiana Fog------Cherry Red Jimmy Witherspoon: Spoonful--Blue Note Live -Jimmy Witherspoon and Robben Ford--LA International Michael Mc Donald:(all Warner Bros.) If that's What It Takes No Lookin Back Victor Feldmans Generation Band: Soft Shoulder-------Palo Alto Jazz Call of the Wild----TBA Others: George Harrison-Dark Horse--------------Capitol Joni Mitchell-Miles of Aisles-----------Asylum Tom Scott and the LA Express-Tom Cat----Ode Kenny Loggins-Celebrate Me Home---------Columbia Little Feat-Down on the Farm------------Warner Bros. Kiss-Creatures of the Night-------------Mercury Jennifer Warnes-Famouse Blue Raincoat---Cypress Barabara Streisand-Superman-------------Columbia Brandon Fields-The Other Side of the Story-Nova Kenny Pore-Inner City Dreams------------ITI Kazu Matsui-Standing on The Outside-----Mobile Fidelity
1582.7	Double whammy	WJOUSM::MASHIA		`Fri Jan 19 1990 12:38`	5
	Just for the record (pun intended), there's already a Robben Ford topic, #805. Rodney
1582.8	on new Jazz Visions series	CRONIC::PCUMMINGS	There's a mingus amonk us	`Wed Mar 21 1990 20:23`	9
	re: the Robben Ford discography.... he appears on another recent release on Verve/Jazz Visions series on the Ellington record with Diane Reeves, Randy Brecker, etc. I heard just the tail end of Reeves singing one of Duke's tune, with Robben playing behind her. Sounding fine /paul
1582.9		ROYALT::BUSENBARK		`Tue Sep 22 1992 10:32`	4
	New release: Robben Ford and the Blue Line on GRP.....
1582.10	"Handful Of Blues"	CRONIC::PCUMMINGS	What They Did	`Thu Oct 19 1995 11:47`	6
	There's a new Robben Ford CD out. I saw a newspaper article a few weeks ago, saying it was on sale at Strawberries in the Boston area. Haven't heard anything off it, but think it's titled "Handful of Blues". Surprising name ehh? /pc
1582.11		PTPM05::HARMON	Paul Harmon, ACMSxp Engineering	`Thu Oct 19 1995 12:18`	7
	>think it's titled "Handful of Blues". Surprising >name ehh? Really. I heard some of this during a radio interview with Robben recently. Sounded pretty good to me. Paul
1582.12	buy it!!!	NETCAD::BUSENBARK		`Fri Oct 20 1995 12:10`	5
	Well it's available in the Blues section at Strawberries and it does sound good so far..... Rick
1582.13		POLAR::KFICZERE		`Fri Oct 20 1995 16:22`	2
	He's playing in Ottawa next month! Sonny Landrith is opening. Should be worth the $15 i think.
1582.14	Cajun Man!	MILKWY::JACQUES	Vintage taste, reissue budget	`Mon Oct 23 1995 06:48`	3
	I'd pay the $15 just to see Sonny. Mark
1582.15	cujun's not so hot!	POLAR::KFICZERE		`Wed Oct 25 1995 10:11`	3
	I don't know about that... -kev
1582.16	How far from Worcester to Ottowa?	MILKWY::JACQUES	Vintage taste, reissue budget	`Wed Oct 25 1995 11:41`	5
	Sonny's last 2 albums were departures from traditional Cajun Blues. Check out "Outward Bound" and "South of I10". His playing on John Hiatt's "Slow Turning" was also brilliant. Mark
1582.17	S'gonna be good!	POLAR::KFICZERE		`Wed Oct 25 1995 14:57`	5
	Not far...'bout 8 hrs. Come on up,I'll grab some stubs fer ya! On your way you can stop by Second Coming in Cambridge and grab a couple of Hendrix boot-legs for me. -kev