Brass-laced soul ballad ‘Perfect Illusion‘ is the latest single from Robben Ford, the famed guitarist who’s moved effortlessly between soul and jazz to blues, rock and fusion during his musical career.
It is the second single to be taken from his upcoming new album, Two Shades Of Blue, with ‘Make My Own Weather‘ having preceded it, and somewhat apt as the parent record has a release date change from this month to 17th April on the Provogue/Artone label. The new single itself has quite some vintage, as Ford explained: “That was written back in 1999 on my own during a period of writing with Michael McDonald. I went out to get some air and on the gravel driveway, I saw what looked like a jewel. I look closer and it’s a drop of water, reflecting the light. And I thought: ‘Hah, perfect illusion’.”
The album opens with first single ‘Make My Own Weather‘, about which he said: “That’s one of my favourite straight-up, slamming blues things I’ve ever written. It’s about a guy reclaiming his freedom. I tried to create the rumble of a motorcycle with the rhythm guitar.”
Five time Grammy award nominated, and known for mixing jazz, rock, fusion and blues into a melting pot, Two Shades Of Blue is said to take risks and break rules. “I have that curse,” noted Ford. “I don’t have two records that sound the same.”
Ranked among the 100 Greatest Guitarists Of The 20th Century by Musician Magazine, 74 year old Ford started becoming a face to watch back in the ’60s playing with blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite and jazz singer Jimmy Witherspoon, before joining fusion outfit The L.A. Express who would go on to record with Joni Mitchell. “The most formative two years of my musical life,” as he recalled. In 1974 he would join Beatles legend George Harrison’s Dark Horse tour, and thereafter continue to play for the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan and Miles Davis.
“The way this album started, I planned it as a tribute to Jeff Beck,” Ford recalled, taking us back to the present, where he had launched the Robben Ford Guitar Dojo with partner Milam Kelly Roberts and moved to live in London.
“The Guitar Dojo had reinvigorated my playing, so writing instrumental music became fresh for me again. I didn’t own a Stratocaster, so I literally went out and bought one for this project. Then Daniel Steinhardt from That Pedal Show put together a new pedalboard for me, along the lines of what Jeff Beck was using. I wanted to do something different, set myself a challenge.”
Ford recorded Two Shades Of Blue in Eastcote Studios with engineer George Murphy, and it features the tracks: ‘Make My Own Weather‘, ‘Jealous Guy‘, ‘Perfect Illusion‘, ‘Black Night‘, ‘Two Shades Of Blue‘, ‘Fire Flute‘, ‘The Light Fandango‘ and ‘Feeling’s Mutual‘. The album is available via the Provogue/Artone label.
Alongside Ford on guitar and vocals are drummer Ianto Thomas (Mark Knopfler), keyboard player Jonny Henderson (Otis Grand), bassist Robin Mullarkey (Paloma Faith), saxophonist Paul Booth, trumpet player Ryan Quigley and trombonist Trevor Mires. “Great cats,” Ford smiled. “London has been incredible for finding musicians. This place is loaded, even better for me than Nashville or LA.”
The album also features The Rolling Stones’ bassist Darryl Jones, keyboardist Larry Goldings and drummer Gary Husband on the instrumentals ‘The Fire Flute‘, ‘The Light Fandango‘ and ‘Feeling’s Mutual‘.
“I still love to play,” Ford reflected. “I’ve kept writing better music and become more acquainted with what it is to make a record. The fact that I’m all over the place musically has confused some people over the years. But I always need a change. I always want to do something different. And I’ve been that way since the very beginning.”
