I remember hearing the name Robben Ford sometime in the 1990s. A friend of mine and fellow guitar player, Noel, was spouting all these names like Al Di Meola, Ford, etc, and he passed me a cassette tape of some recordings.
Little did I know that in about 15 years I’d be speaking to the man himself. Like many musicians who have pursued the art to its core, Ford comes across as a quiet, reflective and dedicated to the form. (Just like Charlie Haden, Gilberto Gil, Steve Morse and others that I’ve been blessed to speak to.)
This Friday, Ford and his new gang of musicians, Renegade Creation (picture below) – Ford, Mike Landau, Jimmy Haslip, Gary Novak – will be in town to play a gig at TAB. And he said that if you’ve only Robben doing his own thing with his tiro, and not heard Renegade Creation before, it’ll be nothing like what you know of Robben Ford. Here’s what the man had to say…
(Robben Ford (standing) and RC. Pic by Nik Glen)
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So really, how different is Renegade Creation from what you normally do? It’s a rock band and of course, with the addition of the other guitarist and writer Mike Landau, it has a very different flavour from our trio shows which are more blues-oriented. Renegade Creation really is a rock band. We play a little bit of blues – but very little – and I’ve never done anything quite like Renegade Creation. It’s a very different format for me. What I like is that it allows me to explore my songwriting in a different way… it opens up the songwriting side of things for me. I think people think of me as a guitar player – of course I am – but I love writing music and this is a great avenue for me.
How do you feel about wearing different hats with the different projects you do? Music is a big playground. There’s a lot that can happen. I’m not crazy about wearing different hats. That sounds like work. But I do like to do different things. It’s more of an exploration of the possibilities within my reach. It should be a living thing. Once you put it in a can and put a label on it and sell it, it loses its life. If it’s not changing, it’s going to get kind of stale.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about being in this business? I would say that to be faithful to music and not worry too much about the success side, so to speak. The more you think about being successful, the less you’re thinking about music. And I think for any artiste, be it music or anything else, if you keep your attention on perfecting your art, that’s going to make you the happiest, no matter what else comes. Like myself, if I’m not doing something honest musically, then I’m not happy. And nothing else really matters. But if I’m producing good work, that in itself… it’s reward enough.
You’re seen as a purist. What are your thoughts about using technology when it comes to music? Do you think it’s robbed the artistry and wonder of making music? I think it depends on the artiste. Renegade Creation, we’re recording now and we’ve gone back to using tape instead of digital technology, and the instruments and amplifiers and drums we’re using are almost entirely… old. Vintage gear. The sounds that are being produced are just so superior to what you hear from modern instruments and modern recording technology, it’s inspiring and we’re really happy with the way things are sounding. We’re all recording live in one room, it’s back to basics and we love it.
Do you feel pressure when making music – like it has to be better than what you did last time? I pretty much do what I want to do. I’ve never had pressure to produce work that I didn’t want to do. Generally, any kind of direction from the record company is pretty light. They want you to do your best work… but I haven’t had a lot of trouble. Right now it’s actually a very good time for me. I’m doing a lot of thigns that I’m really enjoying and I feel that I’m reaping the rewards of a long career. Travelling is difficult and hard on your body and it’s difficult to stay healthy. That would be my one complaint about what I do. But the rewards outweigh the negatives.
How do you stay healthy on the road? I do qigong, I do a little bit of yoga, I like to walk when I can. I also medidate.
Do you prefer listening to music on your headphones or from speakers? I don’t like wearing headphones but sometimes it’s necessary. I don’t listen to music very much. I listen to music in my car. That’s about the only place I listen to music. At home, especially if I’m working or referencing, I have a studio at home – not a recording studio, just more like a music room really – and I listen to music there. I don’t worry too much about it sonically. For me the most enjoyable place to listen to music is in my car. It has a very good sound system and there are no distractions. So that’s how I like to listen to music.
What music are you listening to? I listen to traditional jazz. I like Sonny Rollins… jazz is what I like to listen to really, more than anything else. I like Indian music and I recently have been trying to acquire some traditional recordings of Indian music. And I like to listen Ravel – that’s my favourite classical composer.
Will there be any Indian music in your new album? I don’t think so. It’s too soon. Maybe later.
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