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When I first heard about Robben Ford he was playing in the jazz-rock band The Yellowjackets. What struck me the most was how amazingly young he was and how impossibly gifted he was on guitar. For a man as young as he to be able to play with the emotion and depth he was able to produce out of his axe was mindboggling to me. Of course, I was unaware of the many years of experience Ford already had under his belt when I saw him. If I knew how extensively he had paid his dues I probably would have come away with a much different impression of him. Still, he is a monster and his extensive musical experience informs every single note, every single run, and every single lead he plays.
Ford first started playing guitar at an amazingly young age. He started learning the guitar at age 13 and developed quickly, helped in his pursuit by inspiration from one of his favorite guitar heroes, Michael Bloomfield. When he turned 18 Ford moved to San Francisco and started the Charles Ford Blues Band, named after his father. Before long, Ford was discovered by blues harmonica great Charles Mussselwhite who hired Ford for his band for the next nine months. Word got out about Ford's amazing talent and soon Ford was gigging with blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon, jazz fusion band L.A. Express with Tom Scott, singer Joni Mitchell and even ex-Beatle George Harrison. This was all in between recording for Arhoolie Records with the Charles Ford Blues Band. After the eventual dissolution of that band he helped found the Yellowjackets in 1977 and stayed until 1983, balancing his work with the Yellowjackets with a solo career which was beginning to gain momentum. Not only was he in-demand as a session guitarist but he was also being asked to go out on tours with some of the big names he was backing in the studio. He toured with Miles Davis in 1986 and Sadao Watanabe for two seperate periods but eventually returned to his first love in the early '90's: the blues. He formed a band called The Blue Lined and recorded some of the best albums of his career with the band. Eventually, he dissolved the band and, after a few short stints with other labels (most notably Blue Thumb, where he recorded some scintillating work), began recording as a solo artist for Concord Records, where he's released two albums and now Truth.
And Truth is an apt title of the album for more than one reason. Not only does the title imply Ford's willingness to distill his music down to its' very purest essence, which is the blues, but in a way it also betrays Ford by the album itself exposing his weak side which is his songwriting. While Ford has been known as one of the very best guitarists in the music business for a very long time, the reason Ford hasn't reached a higher level of manistream success is because his songs are mediocre and, sadly, this album's material bears out that fact. Featuring organist Larry Goldings, bassist Will Lee and guest stints from keyboardist Bernie Worrell and singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi, all this star power cannot save a bunch of tired, generic songs though Goldings is fantastic and Ford plays absolutely excellently. Plus, Ford's voice has not improved one whit over the years. Picking an Otis Redding song to cover, which he does here, is an enormous mistake as he cannot compare at all to Redding's vocal mastery and it sounds embarrassing when he tries. Whatever criticism you can level at him, Ford is an excellent bandleader and producer and damn if his guitar playing doesn't make your jaw drop. It's just too bad his composing skills aren't a little better because once the soloing is over, there is very little to take away from this album. Nothing sticks, nothing is memorable enough to warrant repeated listenings other than to marvel at Ford's guitar pyrotechnics. And, sadly, guitar fireworks on their own aren't really enough to hang an album on.
Anyone familiar with Ford's work is going to love this. Though based more extensively in jazz, Ford's blues roots are always evident in his attitude and phrasing as Ford has always been one of the more tasteful jazz-fusion guitarists to ever pick up a guitar. If you're a fan, you'll know what to expect. If you're not, and know little about him, there is little for you here unless you like tons of tasteful guitar playing. There is nothing else to hold on to, which is a shame because Ford is extremely talented. What Ford should do is form a band and find a great lead singer. Otherwise, he is just going to be doomed to making the same guitar albums over and over again to an ever-decreasing audience.
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