The new album from Robben Ford is packed with beautiful music and the indelible ingredients that for decades have made him a force on guitar. Night In The City was recorded at City Winery in Nashville in 2021 and pre-dates his big move to London. It’s a live snapshot showcasing Ford’s passion for music, his back catalog, and the evolution of an artist in his prime.
Making a live recording can be a nightmare. How did Night In The City happen?
I wanted to represent the Pure album and inject other things. I was able to put together a perfect band, but we only had one day of rehearsal and by the end of it, I was exhausted. On the day of the gig, we had to set up and sound check while we were still rehearsing (laughs).
We played two sets that night; the first was difficult because I was nervous; I hadn’t played or been on the road because of Covid. I worked on charts to make sure everyone had the right things, but I was exhausted for the first set, so everything on the record was from the second show. By then, everybody understood the material way better. We made corrections between sets, and the second show felt great, which shows on the recording. Thank God we recorded both (laughs).
What exactly didn’t you like about the first set?
I only heard the bad things (laughs). Surely, there were some good things, but I only heard the bad. All I could hear was what was wrong (laughs).
What’s the effect we hear on the solo to “At The Apollo?”
That’s an Electro-Harmonix POG, which gives an octave above, an octave below, and the actual note. It sounds like a steel drum. I love that sound.
What other gear did you use that night?
I had a 1960 Tele, a ’54 Les Paul converted to ’59 setup, and my PRS Robben Ford model. I also used my Epiphone, but because the album only has half the material we played, it didn’t appear.
How about amps?
I was playing through my Little Walter 110-watt head and my Dumble 2×12 cab. I also used the AmbiKab, by Komet Amplification, which is a send for effects, so they’re all on one side. Doing that for the first time on a live recording caused me stress, and it sounds and feels different (laughs)! So many things are challenging when doing a live recording.
What kind of gain pedal are you using?
The Zendrive, by Love Pedal. It’s the only overdrive pedal I’ve used for 30 years. I’ve tried a lot of others and used others for recording, but on a gig I go back to the Zen Drive.
How are you liking your PRS signature model?
Paul Smith and I have continued to work on the guitar, and we’ve finally come to the place where I love it. I’m a vintage guy, and it’s hard to get things to work on a new guitar, but the pickups are what separates the comfort from the discomfort.
What do you look for in a pickup?
Something organic happens to them over time. I like transparency and a singing quality. People talk about headroom in amplifiers, but pickups have headroom, too; a pickup can limit the headroom of an amplifier. I like to have a lot of sky above the note and around the note. I like it to be clear and clean, and I like it to sound like wood and metal; I want to hear the wood. Vintage instruments can give you that, but new ones can’t because they haven’t opened up. That’s why vintage is so good. It takes time.
Why two sax players instead of keyboards?
Saxophones give chord color with a windy quality – reedy-sounding and not as percussive as piano or guitar. Jeff Coffin and Jovan Quallo gave me that extra harmonic value. I like playing with another guitar player, but two saxophones and a couple of guys who can really play and improvise on their own – I love that! They played their asses off! For me, keyboards take up too much room in the sonic spectrum.
What’s on your schedule for 2024?
I’m putting a band together in London, and I’ll be touring with a supergroup in the summer. I don’t want to work all the time. I want to enjoy myself, play with great people, make great music, and not work too hard doing it (laughs).
This article originally appeared in VG’s February 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
