Customer Reviews

Robben Ford & Blue Line

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For a long time I thought the only blues players getting attention were the dime-a-dozen Texas blues wanna-be's whose playing was limited to a handful of Stevie Ray-type licks. Then I picked up a copy of "Robben Ford & the Blue Line" and I realized the melodic potential for the blues. Simply put, this album got me fired up about the blues again. It's filled with some of the most inspiring, exciting blues playing I've heard.

Robben has a jazzman's sensibility and knack for rhythmic phrasing that makes his lines among the most meaningful and memorable I've heard. He's often compared to Eric Johnson. While both players have incredible technique, Robben's playing is more down to earth because of his total commitment to the blues. From the raw, funky rock of "The Brother" to the Memphis-tinged "I'm a Real Man" to the mean shuffle of "Prison of Love," Robben demonstrates that he's a true bluesman who oozes chitlin-circuit-approved mojo.

To me, Robben stands among the giants of melodic guitar today - Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, and Eric Johnson come to mind. If you're a guitarist who's looking to inspire your blues playing or just a fan of good blues guitar, get this album.

Found this album ..., played it alot and liked it, but I didn't realize the complete value of the effort until a couple of years later. This is an **excellent** album, well conceived, produced and recorded. His cover of John Hiatt's "I'm a Real Man" is inspired, and is one of my all time Robben Ford favorites. His amp/guitar tone is absolutely killer and his vocals are actually extremely good on this album, contrary to what some might say. The production values are terrific and really let the music shine through. I believe this was recorded at Chick Corea's Mad Hatter Studios in LA, and it shows.

Life Song (the final, instrumental cut on the album - dedicated to his wife) is one of Robben's finest moments on record, done with incredible taste, finesse and soul.

If you like the blues, you simply cannot, cannot go wrong with this album.

I first picked up a copy of Robben Ford and the Blue Line in 1993, and it quickly became one of my favorite albums. The trio breathes life into the blues yet makes it sound fresh at the same time. Ford's guitar style fits tracks like "Cut Me To the Bone" and "Tell Me I'm Your Man" perfectly. It's very hard to imagine anyone but Robben Ford playing these songs. The rhythm section is also the perfect complement to Ford's tasteful playing. While tasteful, Ford's guitar playing is definitely not over the top like a lot of today's guitarists. So, if you want a taste of what the modern blues should sound like, do yourself a favor. Put Robben Ford and the Blue Line in your shopping cart.

I think there are presently enough reviews here stating that this is album is great. All I can say is that you need to buy this for the final track - "Life Song (One For Annie)". It has some of Robben's most beautiful playing ever - Soulful, powerful and beautiful all at the same time. If you were to buy this album for that song alone, you would not regret your purchase.

Robben Ford has put out a ton of great music, and this CD with The Blue Line is his best. There are no weak points on this album, and his vocals shine. My favorite cuts are I'm A Real Man, My Love Will Never Die, and the bone-chilling final instrumental, Life Song. A flawless disc!

Robben Ford & the Blue Line is one of Robben's better works. This particular work was produced in 1992 with Robben on guitar and vocals, Roscoe Beck on electric and acoustic bass, and Tom Brechtlein on "drums and clean sneakers." :)

Robben shines on many of the songs on this CD, especially "The Brother", "You Cut Me To The Bone", "Step On It", "Prison of Love", and "Start It Up".

Robben has the creative ability to sing in between the solos, so that his ideas of singing and playing provide for a more cohesive song.

If compared with Robben's other works, such as "Talk to Your Daughter," I would listen to this album first and then consider his other CDs. "Robben Ford & the Blue Line" has the hallmarks of being an outstanding blues/jazz album, even as understated as Robben's works are.

If you like Robben Ford's style of playing, may I suggest Larry Carlton on "Sapphire Blue" or some of his other works, such as "Firewire".

As regards Robben, Robben has the beautifully softly distorted amp sounds that are never harsh. Since Robben uses a Dumble or similar amp for most of his recording, the sound is a slightly "pushed" overdrive that has just a touch of overdrive to it, not "crunchy" or overly saturated.

Most experienced guitarists know what I describe, but for the person less knowledgeable, the sound that Robben has can succinctly be described as a clean amp sound with very slight distortion, just adding a bit of edge to his songs. Very tastefully done.

I gave Robben Ford & the Blue Line 4 stars because of the good number of interesting and well-devised melodies, chording and tastefully sung vocals. Each song I had mentioned keeps the listener entertained, and isn't that what a well-produced album supposed to do?

This guy is my favorite blues guitarist. He's fresh, talented and a super nice guy as well. I'm a blues bassist and member of the Alabama Jazz & Blues Federation. Robben Ford was the headliner at an all-day annual concert under the train-shed in Montgomery. I had a few moments to speak with him before he came on stage. He was very humble and gracious, yet so impressive as an artist and songwriter. Excellent 3-piece band. This is my favorite CD by him. His DVD's are good too!

Perhaps Robben Ford's first and best recording. Don't mistake versatility for imitation...his homage to the Vaughn brothers is genuine and personal. Nothing thin about the Blue Line either.

I recently had the distinct pleasure of seeing Robben Ford live in Tokyo with the incredible guitarist Larry Carlton at Tokyo Blue Note in Omotesando. Before that show I must confess that I was unaware of this fine musician! Since that show I wanted to hear more of Robben but unfortunately the record stores in Tokyo that I frequent had nothing in stock by him, nor had they even heard of him! So, I went to my trusty Amazon. com for CD`s of Robbens and bought three & have been listening to almost nothing else for the last month. This CD is dated, from 1992, but don`t let that keep you from buying it as it really is hot! I will not take the time to discuss each song, but the whole CD rocks! The first track "The Brother" and the 5th track "Step on it" are instrumentals and are incredible songs with searing leads & a fantastic bassist & drummer! Not a bad song on this CD & I highly recommend! Go see Robben if he is ever in your town as he will not disappoint! Cheers from Tokyo! Greg

Of all of Robben Ford's albums, this is the one I keep coming back to. He's spread out in different directions since then, as any artist or musician with a nagging muse would do, and has done so wonderfully for the most part.

If anyone ever wanted an encyclopedia (read: lesson) of blues-based electric guitar styles embedded in solid songsmanship and tunecraft, this CD is the one to reach for. The guitar playing on this album should set the standard by which all similar efforts are measured. It's solid, melodic, and it soars. The songs are wonderful, and don't wear thin after even years of repeated listening; the guitar playing is dynamic without ever descending into cheap or gratuitous virtuosity, although RF can let it rip as well as anyone when it suits the movement of the music and the spirit of the moment. The solos are both blazingly and subtly alive, amazingly well-constructed, their notes and melody lines seldom predictable yet honoring tradition and never contrived, and I could go on and on ...

Let's just say that when I first saw Robben Ford perform live, shortly before this CD was released, I said to myself, "Somehow, I always knew the guitar could be played like this, and now I've finally heard it". It was a reaction that I also had, in its own unique way, when I saw John Scofield play for the first time that same year. And while Scofield's playing may be the more idiosyncratically intriguing of these two musicians, Ford's playing grabs my heart and guts like no other guitarist ever quite has.

This CD offers a good opportunity to get grabbed.