Robben Ford - Two Shades Of Blue

Album: Two Shades Of Blue
Size: 94,2 MB
Time: 40:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2026
Styles: Blues/Rock/Soul/Jazz mix
Art: Front

1. Make My Own Weather (4:26)
2. Jealous Guy (4:30)
3. Perfect Illusion (4:14)
4. Black Night (4:23)
5. Two Shades Of Blue (5:26)
6. The Fire Flute (6:08)
7. The Light Fandango (6:36)
8. Feeling's Mutual (4:57)

Robben Ford is a very well known, and admired guitarist. His singular sound has covered, blues, jazz, and folk, and he has played with household names including Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Bonnie Raitt. Two Shades of Blue features a number of originals, and some choice covers, recorded by two different line ups either side of the Atlantic, featuring crack musicians from the session scene. The three instrumentals find Ford pushing his instrument to the limits, a tendency that won him a place with Miles Davis, and his jazz sound and playing is succinct and to the point.

Given the calibre of the musicians involved, there would be reason to expect some grandstanding, but the playing is to the point, from the soul gospel take of John Lennon’s "Jealous Guy" to the brass section playing of "Perfect Illusion", with its easy going keyboard heavy groove, and a strong rhythm section. This is a good song that moves effortlessly between genres and is always tuneful and a good listen. The three instrumentals that close the album, include the uplifting funk of "Feeling’s Mutual". "Black Night" and "Two Shades of Blue" are also good showcases for the bluesier side of Ford’s talents.

The album is very well mixed and produced, with a modern sound, and good separation between the instruments and the parts. This is a good album, full of interesting sounds and styles, and a different sound, with telling solos from other instruments. First thought of as a tribute to the late Jeff Beck and his soloing, this album contains plenty of that, and Ford’s snappy Stratocaster sound that is evident throughout the album is an attractive addition to his sonic arsenal. /Ben MacNair, Blues Matters

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Jimmy Witherspoon & Robben Ford - Live (At The Ash Grove 1976)

Album: Live
Size: 100,1 MB
Time: 43:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1977/1993
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. Low Down Dirty Shame (2:06)
2. Goin' Down Slow (6:41)
3. Kansas City (3:16)
4. Past Forty Blues (6:37)
5. Times Are Getting Tough (2:21)
6. Outskirts Of Town (2:32)
7. S-K Blues (3:41)
8. Around The Clock (6:37)
9. Walkin' By Myself (2:55)
10. No Rollin' Blues (6:27)

This live collection of five "Spoon" originals is augmented by five blues standards: "Low Down Dirty Shame (Joe Turner, Pete Johnson); "Kansas City" (Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller); "Outskirts Of Town" (Huddie Ledbetter); Walkin' By Myself (Max Singer, Louise Lewis) and "S-K Blues" (Saunders King). The collaboration of these two great artists, Jimmy Witherspoon and Robben Ford, is enhaced by a skillful rhythm section - Paul Nagle on keyboards, Stan Poplin on bass and drummer Jim Baum.

Beginning with the very first note of the standard "Low Down Dirty Shame", there is no doubt that this is a double feature designed to please the most discriminating aficionado and that it constitutes an artistic continuum of the first order. "Spoon" is in rare form while Robben is on a mission to amaze. /Excerpt from the CD liner notes by Clarence Atkins

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Jimmy Witherspoon & Robben Ford - Jump Blues Live 1972

Album: Jump Blues Live 1972
Size: 95,2 MB
Time: 41:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2025
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

1. Don't Start Me Talkin' (2:26)
2. Ain't Nobody's Business What I Do (4:05)
3. My Babe (3:38)
4. Spoonful (4:04)
5. Past Forty Blues (4:57)
6. Kansas City (5:00)
7. Nothing's Changed (4:45)
8. Around The Clock (6:06)
9. Goin' Down Slow (6:07)

Legendary Blues Hall of Fame vocalist Jimmy Witherspoon teams up with guitar hero Robben Ford at Hollywood's famed Troubadour in March of 1972. This never-before-released radio broadcast performance features nine tracks, including three Witherspoon originals plus classic songs from Willie Dixon, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Lieber and Stoller. This is one of the earliest recordings of Ford's extraordinary career, starting back in 1970 with Charlie Musselwhite and Witherspoon before joining Tom Scott's L.A. Express. He went on to shred with Steely Dan, Kiss, Yellow Jackets, Miles Davis and lead on 25 of his own albums.

Jimmy Witherspoon and Robben Ford are at the peak of their performing career during this 1972 recording, backed by a young but enthusiastic electric band that he had recruited after hearing them open for him in a club the previous year. With a fresh, young band in tow, one that was designed to capitalize upon the electric blues resurgence that had occurred in the those years, Witherspoon delivers a set list that ran the gamut from his early hit single "Ain't Nobody's Business What I Do" to a stampeding cover of the Jerry Leiber-Mike Stoller composition "Kansas City". Witherspoon is in a playful mood, frequently speaking to the audience. The set is filled with several other Witherspoon's most popular numbers, including "Past Forty Blues", "My Babe" and "Spoonful".

Personnel: Jimmy Witherspoon (vocals); Robben Ford (guitar); Paul Nagel (piano); Stan Poplin (bass); Jim Baum (drums).

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Robben Ford - Truth

Album: Truth
Size: 129,8 MB
Time: 56:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Blues/Jazz/Rock/Soul mix
Art: Full


1. Lateral Climb (4:20)
2. How Deep In The Blues Do You Want To Go (4:19)
3. Nobody's Fault But Mine (3:14)
4. Riley B. King (6:17)
5. You're Gonna Need A Friend (5:45)
6. One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor (Feat. Susan Tedeschi) (4:38)
7. Too Much (4:14)
8. Peace On My Mind (6:02)
9. There'll Never Be Another You (5:17)
10. River Of Soul (6:20)
11. Moonchild Blues (5:41)

Fifty-six year-old guitarist Robben Ford was born in Northern California, into a musical family. His father played country and western music, and his mother was a pianist and vocalist. Robben was the third of four musical sons in the family, and his first instrument was the saxophone, but he took up the guitar by age 13, after he heard blues-rock artists Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop. Living in the San Francisco area, Robben Ford frequently attended shows at the famous Fillmore auditorium, where he saw such performers as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and B.B. King. But being a sax player, Ford was also drawn to jazz, with Paul Desmond of the Dave Brubeck Quartet being an early favorite, but also extending to Ornette Coleman and Miles Davis. So the blues and jazz have been at the musical center of Robben Ford for most of his life.

He played blues in a band with his brothers - and still does from time to time - and was also hired at a very young age to tour with Jimmy Witherspoon, with members of what was then his first jazz group. The band was seen by saxophonist Tom Scott who recruited Ford for the L.A. Express, who promptly went on tour, and then recorded with Joni Mitchell. From there, Ford performed with George Harrison on his "Dark Horse" tour. After some time off, Ford began a series of solo recordings, the first of which, The Inside Story, was essentially the first album by The Yellowjackets. At about the same time, he was recruited by Miles Davis and performed with his band for some six months. But in the late 1980s, Ford decided to get back to his blues roots and released Talk to Your Daughter in 1988, to considerable praise. He has been concentrating on his blues-influenced music in a series of albums spanning nearly twenty years.

His latest CD continues his mix of straight electric blues with the jazzy sophistication for which he is known, highlighting his crisp virtuosic electric guitar style, and his appealing tenor voice. He is joined on this bi-coastal recording by an interesting collection of guests, including notable jazz organist Larry Goldings, bassist Will Lee, and vocalist Susan Tedeschi. The bulk of the material is original, but there are covers of songs by Otis Redding and Paul Simon. As usual, Ford's guitar work is impressive, and his jazzy tendencies are unmistakable, especially in the original music where the tunes are anything but the standard three-chord blues form. /George Graham

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Robben Ford - Soul On Ten

Album: Soul On Ten
Size: 157,1 MB
Time: 68:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Blues/Jazz/Rock mix
Art: Full

1. Supernatural (7:49)
2. Indianola (5:16)
3. There'll Never Be Another You (8:26)
4. Spoonful (6:08)
5. Nothin' To Nobody (11:09)
6. Please Set A Date/You Don't Have To Go (5:50)
7. Earthquake (7:44)
8. How Deep In The Blues (Do You Want To Go) (6:44)
9. Don't Worry 'Bout Me (4:18)
10. Thoughtless (4:35)

Some of guitarist Robben Ford's weaknesses, such as song composition and vocals, are rectified or at least made less obvious, on this predominantly live release. On his fourth release for the Concord label, and first live CD in about a decade (although there have been some concert DVDs during that time), Ford is able to cherrypick better material from inconsistent albums, unearth choice covers, and generally broaden the music with his fiery playing. This, along with the natural energy generated by the stage environment, focuses attention on the guitarist's skills as a creative six-string bluesman who expands the somewhat narrow confines of the genre by adding soul and jazz influences.

He kicks off the set with a lazy, wah-wah enhanced "Supernatural," the title track to his 1999 disc, and revs up the energy from there, jumping into the instrumental "Indianola." This is where Ford seamlessly combines rock, blues, jazz, and surf into a five-minute tour de force that leads one to believe that a vocal-free show might display his superb guitar talents better than one where he sings. Still, he acquits himself admirably in front of the microphone to pull together "Nothin' to Nobody." That selection from Supernatural is extended to twice its original playing time with an 11-minute version that finds its groove as Ford's guitar spars with Neal Evans' husky B-3 organ and Travis Carlton's (son of Larry) bass solo.

Ford is no Howlin' Wolf, or even Jack Bruce, but he tears into "Spoonful" with enough guitar guts to make it easy to ignore his well-meaning if slightly listless vocals and concentrate on the combo's taut playing, led by Ford's tensile, stinging solo. The combination of Elmore James' "Please Set a Date" with Jimmy Reed's "You Don't Have to Go" has Ford diving into traditional Chicago blues, something he does not typically do. Unfortunately, "Earthquake," a new composition in the set (as opposed to two other fresh songs tacked on as studio versions) suffers from the same weak writing that mars much of Ford's work, although his Steely Dan-inspired solo rescues it.

The concert portion ends with a rugged, funky "How Deep in the Blues (Do You Want to Go)," a highlight from his previous album Truth performed here with amped up energy. The two original tunes that close out this project are pleasant but superfluous and probably should have been saved for his next studio outing while adding more live performances to this one. Since it clocks in at only 68 minutes, there is room for more material recorded at the same shows. /Hal Horowitz, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Robben Ford & The Blue Line - Live At Montreux 1993

Album: Live At Montreux 1993
Size: 127,1 MB
Time: 55:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Styles: Blues-rock
Art: Front

1. I Don't Play (4:23)
2. Politician (4:05)
3. Worried Life Blues (10:39)
4. You Cut Me To The Bone (5:38)
5. Step On It (7:23)
6. Busted Up (4:22)
7. Mama Talk To Your Daughter (10:34)
8. Tell Me I'm Your Man (8:02)

Regarded as one of the 20th Century’s greatest guitarists, Robben Ford’s credentials as both sideman and solo artist read like a musicians’ Who’s Who. As a child he played the saxophone and by fourteen had taken up the guitar, playing with his brothers in the Charles Ford Blues Band. While still a teenager he was hired to play with bluesman Charlie Musselwhite, and recorded with Jimmy Witherspoon. Having been a member of jazz fusion band L.A. Express and later the Yellowjackets, the Grammy Award nominee has collaborated with such musical heavyweights as Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, Gregg Allman, Rick Springfield, Little Feat and Kiss.

Fast forward to the early ‘90s and Robben Ford and the Blue Line (bassist Roscoe Beck, drummer Tom Brechtlein and pianist Bill Boublitz) were touring internationally non-stop, playing large venues, festivals and outdoor events. Here they are captured at the Montreux Jazz Festival of 1993, at their very best. /Amazon

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Robben Ford - The Blues Collection

Size: 164.6 MB
Time: 70:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. Excuse My Blues (4:15)
02. Love Me Or Leave Me (6:22)
03. Blue Stu (7:29)
04. Blue And Lonesome (8:26)
05. That Will Never Do (6:10)
06. The Cotton Creeper (5:04)
07. Still A Stranger (3:37)
08. Take Out Some Insurance (5:41)
09. Help The Poor (5:57)
10. Mellow Down Easy (6:31)
11. Going Down Slow (5:12)
12. Pretty Woman (5:59)

Robben Ford's "The Blues Collection", is a sampling of blues recordings featuring the remarkable guitarist stretching from 1971-72, through 1982-84 and finally 1991-92. Included are four instrumental tracks - "Excuse My Blues", "Blue Stu", "The Cotton Creeper", and "Pretty Woman", the last of which was recorded live at the Notodden Blues Festival. Harp fans will be thrilled to hear brother Mark Ford blowing on six ot the cuts, and Charles Musselwhite on three others. Four of the tracks are previously unreleased ("Excuse My Blues", "The Cotton Creeper", "Take Out Some Insurance" and "Help The Poor") and the Jimmy Witherspoon track "Going Down Slow" was also recorded live at the Notodden Blues Festival. Robben Ford is without a doubt one of the most creative and honest men to play, write and arrange in the blues idiom. He feels it as well as understands it. He is Robben Ford, and there is none better.

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Robben Ford & The Blue Line - Handful Of Blues

Album: Handful Of Blues
Size: 129,5 MB
Time: 55:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. Rugged Road (4:00)
2. Chevrolet (4:18)
3. When I Leave Here (5:00)
4. The Miller's Son (3:21)
5. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (5:12)
6. Top Of The Hill (4:28)
7. Running Out On Me (4:17)
8. Tired Of Talkin (4:14)
9. Good Thing (7:13)
10. Think Twice (4:47)
11. I Just Want To Make Love To You (5:47)
12. Strong Will To Live (3:16)

On Handful of Blues, Robben Ford strips his sound back to the basics, recording a set of blues with only a bassist and a drummer. The group runs through a handful of standards, including "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and "I Just Want to Make Love to You," and a number of made-to-order originals. Throughout the album the musicians play well, but Ford's voice is never commanding. However, this is a minor flaw, since his guitar speaks for itself. /Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Robben Ford & The Blue Line - Robben Ford & The Blue Line

Album: Robben Ford & The Blue Line
Size: 111,9 MB
Time: 48:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1992
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. The Brother (For Jimmie & Stevie) (4:41)
2. You Cut Me To The Bone (4:48)
3. I'm A Real Man (5:30)
4. My Love Will Never Die (5:26)
5. Step On It (5:58)
6. Prison Of Love (4:25)
7. Tell Me I'm Your Man (6:13)
8. Start It Up (3:47)
9. Life Song (One For Annie) (7:28)

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. /Scott Yanow, AllMusic

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Robben Ford & The Blue Line - Live At Yoshi's '96

Size: 241 MB
Time: 1:43:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Philly Blues (Live) ( 8:03)
02. Chevrolet (Live) ( 5:05)
03. Start It Up (Live) ( 6:05)
04. Good Thing (Live) ( 8:40)
05. Moth To A Flame (Live) ( 4:28)
06. Lovin' Cup (Live) ( 8:06)
07. Time Remembered (Live) ( 1:51)
08. Bounce That (Live) (14:36)

CD 2:
01. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' (Live) (10:34)
02. Put It Where You Want It (Live) ( 8:04)
03. Prison Of Love (Live) ( 3:43)
04. Wes (Live) ( 8:41)
05. Tired Of Talkin' (Live) ( 4:22)
06. Another Corner (Live) (11:02)

Regarded as one of the 20th Century's greatest guitarists, Robben Ford's credentials as both sideman and solo artist read like a musicians' Who's Who. ' As a child he played the saxophone and by fourteen had taken up the guitar, playing with his brothers in the Charles Ford Blues Band. While still a teenager he was hired to play with bluesman Charlie Musselwhite, and also recorded with Jimmy Witherspoon. Having been a member of jazz fusion band L. A. Express and later the Yellowjackets, the Grammy Award nominee has collaborated with such musical heavyweights as Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, Gregg Allman, Rick Springfield, Little Feat and Kiss. Fast forward to the early 90s and Robben Ford and the Blue line (bassist Roscoe Beck, drummer Tom Brechtlein and pianist Bill Boublitz) had been touring internationally pretty much non-stop, playing mostly large venues, festivals and outdoor events. The band had always talked about how much they relished the intimacy of a small venue and the opportunity to stretch out musically and really open up. These recordings showcase their enjoyment. Recorded at Yoshi's, the celebrated Oakland restaurant and jazz venue, this album - available for the first time - originates from the band's appearances there during the week of 15-19 April 1996. Founded in 1972, Yoshi's opened as a sushi bar owned by Yoshie Akiba, alongside her two best friends Kaz Kajimura, a journalist and carpenter, and Hiroyuki Hori, a painter and Japanese cook. Since then, Yoshi's has built itself into one of the world's most respected jazz venues, earning a reputation as the Bay Area's premier location for great Japanese cuisine and jazz music. In the wake of his US Billboard No. 1 Blues album Pure, we can now experience Robben Ford and the Blue Line live on stage in the intimate surroundings of this renowned jazz venue.

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Robben Ford - Blue Moon

Album: Blue Moon
Size: 135,6 MB
Time: 58:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Blues/Jazz/Rock mix
Art: Front, back

1. Up The Line (3:49)
2. Hard To Please (4:12)
3. Don't Deny Your Love (5:02)
4. Make Me Your Only One (5:11)
5. Indianola (5:19)
6. My Everything (4:42)
7. The Way You Treated Me (You're Gonna Be Sorry) (6:44)
8. Sometime Love (3:58)
9. Good To Love (3:42)
10. Something For The Pain (4:58)
11. It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace) (6:13)
12. Don't Deny Your Love (Remix) (4:56)

Over the years many people have asked, "Will the real Robben Ford please stand up?" Those are the people who wonder if the singer/guitarist is really a blues-rock vocalist or a jazz fusion instrumentalist at heart. But truth be told, Ford is many different things. He is genuinely eclectic, which is why one never really knows from one album to the next what direction he will take. Blue Moon, Ford's first album for Concord Jazz, is primarily a vocal date. Ford gets in his share of inspired guitar solos, and he provides one instrumental: the gutsy "Indianola."

But most of the time he sings. And as a vocalist, he favors an exciting blend of blues, rock, and soul on tracks like "Something for the Pain," "Don't Deny Your Love," and "The Way You Treated Me (You're Gonna Be Sorry)." Meanwhile, "It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace)" and the moody "Make Me Your Only One" are among the CD's more jazz-tinged vocal offerings. Ford does not embrace a standard 12-bar blues format on all of the material, but then, he never claimed to be a blues purist.

Ford isn't a blues purist any more than he is a rock purist, a jazz purist, or an R&B purist - he is much too restless and broad-minded to be any type of purist. That isn't good news if you only like one type of music, but it is very good news if you share Ford's eclectic outlook and have admired his diversity over the years. Ford was in his late forties when he recorded Blue Moon in the early 2000s, and this pleasing CD is the work of a musician who is still very much on top of his game. /Alex Henderson, AllMusic

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Robben Ford - Discovering The Blues (Live)

Size: 139.4 MB
Time: 60:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. Sweet Sixteen (12:37)
02. You Drive A Hard Bargain ( 5:45)
03. It's My Own Fault (10:29)
04. You Don't Know What Love Is ( 8:51)
05. My Time After Awhile ( 3:35)
06. Raining In My Heart (10:34)
07. Blue & Lonesome ( 8:25)

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. ~Thom Owens

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Shirley King - Blues For A King

Size: 85,9 MB
Time: 36:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. All Of My Lovin' (Feat. Joe Louis Walker) (2:42)
02. Feelin' Alright? (Feat. Duke Robillard) (4:15)
03. I Did You Wrong (Feat. Elvin Bishop) (3:11)
04. That's All Right Mama (Feat. Pat Travers) (2:47)
05. Can't Find My Way Home (Feat. Martin Barre) (3:12)
06. Johnny Porter (Feat. Arthur Adams) (2:50)
07. Feeling Good (Feat. Robben Ford) (2:31)
08. Give It All Up (Feat. Kirk Fletcher) (2:20)
09. Gallows Pole (Feat. Harvey Mandel) (4:06)
10. Hoodoo Man (Feat. Junior Wells & Joe Louis Walker) (5:28)
11. At Last (Feat. Steve Cropper) (3:16)

Being the blues-singing daughter of B.B. King has earned Shirley King the title “Daughter of the Blues,” but she is an outstanding singer and performer in her own right and capable of singing any kind of music that comes her way. Just witness her newest full-length album, Blues For A King, which crosses musical genres from blues to rock to soul and back again. Even next to such high wattage guests as Joe Louis Walker, Robben Ford, Junior Wells, Pat Travers & Elvin Bishop, King absolutely shines as she performs spectacular version of the blues classics “Gallows Pole” and “Hoodoo Blues Man” as well as the soul hit “Johnny Porter” (originally by The Temptations) plus two songs by British rock band Traffic, “Can’t Find My Way Home” and “Feelin’ Alright?.” The album closes with a powerful version of Etta James’s unforgettable “At Last,” which signals that, at long last, Shirley King is finally getting the attention and recognition she so richly deserves.

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Mike Zito - A Tribute To Chuck Berry

Size: 161,2 MB
Time: 67:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Blues Rock, Rock & Roll
Art: Full

01. St.Louis Blues (Feat. Charlie Berry III) (3:20)
02. Rock And Roll Music (Feat. Joanna Connor) (3:08)
03. Johnny B Goode (Feat. Walter Trout) (3:49)
04. Wee Wee Hours (Feat. Joe Bonamassa) (5:25)
05. Memphis (Feat. Anders Osborne) (3:05)
06. I Want To Be Your Driver (Feat. Ryan Perry) (2:55)
07. You Never Can Tell (Feat. Robben Ford) (4:00)
08. Back In The USA (Feat. Eric Gales) (3:02)
09. No Particular Place To Go (Feat. Jeremiah Johnson) (2:50)
10. Too Much Monkey Business (Feat. Luther Dickinson) (3:13)
11. Havana Moon (Feat. Sonny Landreth) (4:21)
12. Promised Land (Feat. Tinsley Ellis) (3:29)
13. Down Bound Train (Feat. Alex Skolnick) (4:04)
14. Maybellene (Feat. Richard Fortus) (2:55)
15. School Days (Feat. Ally Venable) (3:02)
16. Brown Eyed Handsome Man (Feat. Kirk Fletcher & Josh Smith) (2:16)
17. Reelin' And Rockin' (Feat. Tommy Castro) (4:01)
18. Let It Rock (Feat. Jimmy Vivino) (2:27)
19. Thirty Days (Feat. Albert Castiglia) (2:56)
20. My Ding A Ling (Feat. Kid Andersen) (3:16)

Chuck Berry, the artist, was a genius. We owe just about everything great about rock and roll to Berry (and his pianist/collaborator, Johnnie Johnson). Singer/guitarist Mike Zito pays tribute to the artist on Rock ‘n’ Roll – A Tribute to Chuck Berry.

Berry, the man, was more complicated. He was an African American who perfected a largely white artform. His career stalled due to a Mann Act conviction, which many believe to be a racist statue. People have maintained that after his 20-month jail sentence, Berry came out a changed, meaner person. In the 1980s and 1990s, there were all kinds of allegations against Berry: assaulting women, video cameras in bathrooms, and videotapes of minors. He is both survivor and a perpetrator, easy to sympathize with but hard to root for.

There’s a fantastic scene at the end of Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll, the documentary about the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards efforts to organize a tribute show for Berry. Berry tortures Richards for most of the film, treating Richards more like a court-appointed dentist than as a huge rock star trying to honor Berry’s legacy. At the end of the show, Richards, who has seen some things, looks completely desiccated, totally broken by Berry. Altamont and Hells Angels were one thing. But Berry was next-level pain.

But people like Richards and Zito pay their respect because Berry’s music is just that good. Blasting this album over a weekend, my one-year-old daughter would consistently bop to Zito’s takes on these classic, instantly-recognizable songs. It says something when music resonates that powerfully with a person so young.

Zito says the album originated from his time living in St. Louis, Berry’s hometown, where he got to know Berry’s drummer and son. I suspect Zito also hoped to introduce Berry’s music to younger fans, who might not be familiar with many of these classic songs. Similarly, Zito features an impressive array of guests across the album, using this as an opportunity to promote lower-profile artists (although there are also big names, like Joe Bonamassa and Luther Dickinson, who finds time to appear on what seems to be thousands of albums a year).

There are also some cool surprises. “Downbound Train” is trippier than Berry’s original, featuring guitar right out of Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused.” The guitar comes courtesy of Alex Skolnick, best known for this work with the thrash-metal band Testament (but also an accomplished jazz guitarist). “Rock and Roll Music” is re-imagined with slide guitar and backing vocals from the amazing Joanna Connor. And “Too Much Monkey Business” features a laid-back Dickinson co-vocal that gives the song a different complexion than Berry’s higher-energy original.

Despite the stunning number of guests, Zito is never lost. His vocals and guitar are present on every track, gracefully allowing his collaborators to shine, but also not deferring to anyone. Zito never lets the songs stray too far from the Berry originals, but provides space for different takes on material that is canonically seared into the minds of many. For instance, “Brown Eyed Handsome Man,” one of my all-time favorite Berry tunes, here features singer/guitarists Kirk Fletcher and Josh Smith, but doesn’t deviate too far from Berry’s original. They throw in some slightly flashier guitar licks and put a little mustard on the vocals, but otherwise the performers know better than to mess with perfection.

The perfection of Berry’s music is the challenge of an album like this. Back to the Future, which wasn’t a documentary, features a scene where Michael J. Fox, having traveled back in time to the 1950s, performs Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” at a high school dance, using all of Berry’s moves, both of the guitar and duckwalk variety. Berry’s cousin runs to call him, holding the phone up so Berry can hear the new sound he’s supposedly been looking for. It’s a goofy joke, but there’s a larger message: that Berry’s music is historically significant. The world would be a sadder place without the music of Cream or the Allman Brothers, but would things be that different? Now think about where we would be without Berry. What music wouldn’t have been written without his (and Johnson’s) coming first? Would we have a Beatles or a Stones without him?

And that’s what works about this album. It’s timeless music respectfully presented by talented artists. Zito uses his visibility not just to honor Berry, but to also re-introduce him to a generation (or two) of fans who might not be familiar with his work, which still stands up remarkably well, all those decades later. Adding on to the good deed, Zito also uses this as an opportunity to showcase contemporary artists who might not be as well-known as they should be (and many of whom have been produced by Zito, like the criminally good Albert Castiglia, who performs Berry’s “30 Days”). Great music and great intentions makes for a beautiful tribute. The Review: 9/10 ~Steven Ovadia

A Tribute To Chuck Berry

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Robben Ford - Talk To Your Daughter

Year: 1988
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:53
Size: 96,8 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Scans: Full

1. Talk To Your Daughter (4:10)
2. Wild About You (Can't Hold Out Much Longer) (3:48)
3. Help The Poor (5:45)
4. Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues (4:39)
5. Born Under A Bad Sign (3:47)
6. I Got Over It (3:24)
7. Revelation (6:23)
8. Getaway (4:19)
9. Can't Let Her Go (5:35)

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! /Vincent Jeffries, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Talk To Your Daughter mc
Talk To Your Daughter zippy

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The Ford Brothers - Center Stage

Year: 2004
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:37
Size: 125,7 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Mellow Down Easy (7:26)
2. Another Fine Day (5:18)
3. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (5:07)
4. Nothing To Nobody (10:18)
5. Tired Of Talkin' (6:14)
6. Feelin' Disconnected (4:59)
7. Up From The Streets/Lovin' Cup (15:13)

The three Ford Brothers (guitarist-singer Robben, Mark on harmonica and drummer Patrick), along with guitarist Volker Strifler and bassist Dewayne Pate, play a full set of very spirited material. The traditional "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" is a high point but so are the pieces from Walter Jacobs and Paul Butterfield plus the five group originals.

The interplay between the guitars of Robben Ford and Strifler form a powerful group sound and on "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" the addition of guest guitarist Chris Cain adds to the fireworks. This set will be enjoyed by fans of post-1960s electric Chicago blues and features each of the Ford Brothers in prime form. /Scott Yanow, AllMusic

Center Stage mc
Center Stage zippy

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Robben Ford - Purple House

Size: 81,8 MB
Time: 34:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Tangle With Ya (3:45)
02. What I Haven't Done (4:13)
03. Empty Handed (4:29)
04. Bound For Glory (3:23)
05. Break In The Chain (Feat. Shemekia Copeland) (4:33)
06. Wild Honey (2:52)
07. Cotton Candy (3:55)
08. Somebody's Fool (4:14)
09. Willing To Wait (3:32)

Robben Ford – the blues, jazz and rock virtuoso, who is one of the most innovative and influential contemporary premier electric guitarists, vocalist and songwriter with a celebrated career that has spanned almost five decades.

The five-time Grammy nominee achieved worldwide fame for both, being a solo artist and for his collaborations with a diverse musical Who’s Who that includes Miles Davis, George Harrison, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Dizzy Gillespie, Georgie Fame, Kiss and many more.

With both parents being passionate musicians themselves, Robben early found his love for music and especially for playing guitar – and it was a love that should last forever. Today his commitment to teaching and passing on what he’s learned over the years to current and future musicians is an essential component of his career.

Purple House, his forthcoming brand new studio album, 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.”

And he adds: “I used to deliberately write blues and rhythm and blues. The Blue Line, that band really focused on blues and rhythm and blues. Traditional. But over the years I’ve really tried to expand that and this new record, more than anything I’ve ever done, is a real departure from tradition in terms of the songwriting.”

On Purple House we hear special guests appearances such as blues powerhouse vocalist Shemekia Copeland; she sings a duet with Ford on “Break In The Chain.” Travis McCready, the lead singer of the Natchez, Mississippi band Bishop Gunn, contributes the lead vocals on “Somebody’s Fool.” And we hear a fantastic guitar solo of Bishop Gunn’s guitarist Drew Smithers on the album’s closing track “Willing To Wait”.

Purple House MP3
Purple House FLAC

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Mark Ford & The Blue Line - Mark Ford & The Blue Line

Year: 1998
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:02
Size: 129,1 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Gimme Some (5:49)
2. Try'n To Get Away (4:44)
3. Get A Woman That Loves Me (5:51)
4. Illusory World (6:17)
5. Heart Of Stone (5:36)
6. Words Of The Preacher (5:28)
7. Breakin' In The Fast Lane (4:05)
8. Don't You Love Me (3:25)
9. Feelin' Disconnected (4:40)
10. Projecting My Love (5:26)
11. Wanna Be The Man (4:37)

The youngest of the three Ford brothers, Mark Ford had a span of 15 years between his first album and this one. It features him on harp and vocals with brother Robben on guitar, and Robben's Blue Line members Roscoe Beck on bass and Tom Brechtlein on drums. It was produced by eldest brother Patrick, owner of Blue Rock'It Records. Mark's voice is very similar to Robben's - perhaps a little deeper, but less soulful. When it comes to his harp playing, he seems to gravitate toward the high notes.

The CD consists mostly of high-energy modern blues, with plenty of Robben's trademark guitar for his fans to soak up (particularly on "Get a Woman That Loves Me"). All of the tracks were written by Mark. "Gimme Some" is just plain funky, while "Feelin' Disconnected" has a Latin beat, a jazzy guitar, and a catchy harp lick. "Get a Woman That Loves Me" is the "deepest" blues cut here, a 12-bar tune with a Delta flavor. "Illusory World" has a killer bass solo from Beck, one of the best in the business and a hero to many bass players.

There's also "Breakin' in the Fast Lane," a steady-rockin', '50s-style song. The only true weak spot here is "Words of the Preacher," a steadily thumping, repetitive screecher which tends to annoy in a manner similar to nails on a chalkboard. Patrick Ford describes this as music that is "performed from the heart without worrying about how blues music 'should' or 'shouldn't' be played." In other words, blues purists should avoid this one, but it should satisfy just about everyone else. /Ann Wickstrom, AllMusic

Mark Ford & The Blue Line mc
Mark Ford & The Blue Line zippy

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The Charles Ford Band - A Reunion: Live

Year: 1983/1994
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:01
Size: 112,9 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Front, inside, tray, cd

1. The Cotton Creeper (6:57)
2. Help The Poor (5:28)
3. Kiddeo (4:11)
4. Forty Days And Forty Nights (10:38)
5. That Will Never Do (6:11)
6. Looking For A Woman (9:31)
7. Dance With Me (6:02)

In 1971, Patrick and Robben Ford decided it was time to leave Charlie Musselwhite's band and start up their own unit. They called on long time friend Stan Poplin to join them on bass and the youngest Ford brother Mark to play harp. This was a four piece blues band that was to have a lasting impact on the modern blues scene and proved to be only the beginning of four solid and successful careers. The band was named the Charles Ford Band after the father of the three brothers, a man who had always been supportive of their musical ambitions. What is especially impressive about this band is that the oldest Patrick, was only 20, with Robben and Stan being just 18, and Mark a mere 15 years of age. Also notable is the fact that they came from a small lumber town in northern California called Ukiah, where blues music was not something that one heard a lot of. The only blues they knew was that played by the English bands like the Rolling Stones and the Animals.

As children the Ford boys had been sung songs from the country and blues tradition by their father and their mother, but it was the first Paul Butterfield Blues Band LP, which arrived at the local music store by mistake, that changed their lives and ignited their passion for the blues idiom. With the purchase of that record they began searching out all the information on the blues idiom they could find, constantly buying new recordings of artists like BB King, Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, and more. They also began making the 2 hour drive to San Francisco to attend concerts at the Fillmore to see the blues artists like BB King, James Cotton, Buddy Guy, and others who were booked there.

Because the band did not come from one of the major blues centers their musical influences had been very different and they did not mind using those other influences in their approach to the idiom. During the course of gig you could expect them to be playing anything, from Muddy Waters to Martha and the Vandellas to John Coltrane, but at the root of it all was their affinity for the music of the blues masters. Though the band was only together for about a year, during that time they received four serious offers from record companies and began to create quite a stir on the West Coast. Just when the band broke up they had been given an offer to record a Lp for Chess Records to be called Muddy Waters presents the Charles Ford Band. Muddy had been so impressed by the band when they had opened for him in San Francisco that he went back to Chicago and told them to make the deal. Sadly, it came too late.

However, months later, Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records called Patrick and offered to record the band saying that something should be left behind for history. This led to the Arhoolie title "The Charles Ford Band" released in 1972. It is considered a modern blues classic and still sells to this day. It was not until Charles Ford passed away 10 years later that all four got back together to do a few reunion dates and do a live recording to be dedicated to the brothers' father. This was to become the first release on the new Blue Rock'lt Records, The Charles Ford Band "A Reunion."

A Reunion: Live mc
A Reunion: Live zippy

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Supersonic Blues Machine - Californisoul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:55
Size: 144.0 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:25] 1. I Am Done Missing You
[4:40] 2. Somebody's Fool (Feat. Robben Ford)
[4:29] 3. L.O.V.E
[3:55] 4. Broken Heart (Feat. Billy F. Gibbons)
[5:06] 5. Bad Boys
[5:23] 6. Elevate (Feat. Eric Gales)
[3:54] 7. The One
[7:42] 8. Hard Times (Feat. Steve Lukather)
[4:04] 9. Cry
[4:57] 10. The Stranger
[6:16] 11. What's Wrong (Feat. Walter Trout)
[3:24] 12. Thank You
[4:33] 13. This Is Love

SUPERSONIC BLUES MACHINE is Lance Lopez (guitars/vocals/songwriter), Fabrizio Grossi (bass, producer, songwriter), and Kenny Aronoff (drums). As they’ve proven on their first album and round of shows, it’s not a party unless you invite some friends, and for Californisoul, they’ve brought along some heavy hitters. Guests on the album include Billy Gibbons, who returns with pen and guitar (“Broken Heart”), Steve Lukather (Toto) throws down some stunning licks (“Hard Times”), Eric Gales is back in the fold (“Elevate”), Robben Ford brings his bag of soulfully sophisticated chops (“Somebody’s Fool”), Walter Trout brings some silky slow blues (“What’s Wrong”), and the party is rounded out with Alessandro Alessandroni Jr. on keyboards, Serge Simic (co-writer and background vocals on “Love” and “Hard Times”), and Andrea and Francis Benitez Grossi (background vocals). You may come for the stars, but you’ll stay for the whole show.

Fabrizio Grossi adds, “Lots of people have been saying to me ‘why does Supersonic Blues Machine always bring guests around? You guys can stand your own ground’, and there are three answers to that : 1) we’re all super friends and we’re having a blast, 2) most of them don’t give lessons and for us it’s only way to learn their secret “ways”, and three because the inspiration and the challenge they bring to the table!” Supersonic Blues Machine is truly a family as well as a band, and these guests don’t mail it in, they stay for dinner. The community aspect is very real, and one of the band’s great treasures.

Californisoul mc
Californisoul zippy

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