Charles Ford Band - As Real As It Gets (1996)
1 Gibson Creek Shuffle 11:06 2 Look Over Yonders Wall (Guitar [First Solo] – Michael Osborn) 5:30 3 Driftin' Blues 16:29 4 Killer Joe 10:12 5 All Those Blues 3:26 6 40 Days 40 Nights 9:53 7 That Will Never Do 6:40 8 All Your Love 5:30 Bass – Stan Poplin Drums – Patrick Ford Guitar, Vocals – Robben Ford Harmonica, Vocals – Mark Ford Keyboards [Guest] – Russel Ferrante
Charles Ford isn't in the Charles Ford Band. His sons are: Robben on vocals and guitar, Mark on harmonica and Pat on drums. Their friend, Stan Poplin, plays bass.
Robben Ford, of course, is the sole practitioner of a Southern California brand of jazzy blues that can peel the paint or soothe the soul in a single outing. It's homogenized, but it still has bite.
The Charles Ford Band broke up in the late 1970s when Robben joined Joni Mitchell's band. As Real As It Gets is a live recording of a pair of 1983 reunion gigs.
For the most part, it's what you'd expect from a Robben Ford-fronted band, and most of his fans will come away satisfied.
Be aware, however, that the material sticks to a democratic format: Each song features lengthy and often wandering solos by Robben and Mark Ford and special guest Russell Ferrante, the keyboardist in the Yellowjackets, a pop/jazz band that once included Robben Ford.
Two problems: Ferrante plays an electric piano that often comes off sounding like a video game, and Mark Ford's harmonica solos are w-a-a-a-y too long. Less would definitely be more.
Still, Robben Ford's contributions are worth the wait. --- bluesaccess.com
download (mp3 @256 kbs):
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