Artist: ROBBEN FORD
Album: A DAY IN NASHVILLE (CD)

Year: 2014
Media type: CD

A Day In Nashville is the new album of Robben Ford, out on Provogue.

’A Day In Nashville’ is a welcome throwback of an album. Robben Ford’s latest release stands out as a true old school project for a variety of reasons. The sly vocalist-guitarist recorded the entire album in just a day, which is the anomaly by today’s recording standards.

“It just doesn’t happen today,” Ford said. “Nine songs in one day, all new music. That normally takes some time. But I credit the musicians I worked with. I sent demos to them with me singing and playing on acoustic guitar. I sat down and thought if I can pull this off, wouldn’t that be something.” Ford pulled it off courtesy of the work he put in and due to an exceptional bunch of musicians. Guitarist Audley Freed (Black Crowes), keyboardist Ricky Peterson (David Sanborn), bassist Brian Allen (Jason Isbell), drummer Wes Little (Sting) and trombonist Barry Green (Tony Bennett) helped make ‘A Day In Nashville’ a reality. You can’t pigeonhole ’A Day In Nashville’ which is a blues/R&B hybrid, with a tinge of jazz tossed into the sonic potpourri for good measure.

’A Day In Nashville’ is the perfect follow-up to ‘Bringing It Back Home.’ Although there is a similar sonic presence, this time out Ford, pens seven of the nine cuts. “I had the chance to write some new music and so I did it,” Ford said. “I enjoy recording versions of other people’s songs but I like to write music too.” Ford nails it whether delivering a pair of instrumental tunes or the seven gems, which range from the compelling (‘Midnight Comes Too Soon’) to the humorous (‘Ain’t Drinkin’ Beer No More’). The former, which includes a number of searing bluesy guitar licks and a film noirish story,  is not set to a rhyme scheme. “It was a worthwhile exercise to break away from rhyming in songwriting,” Ford said. “Rhyme does make a song more powerful but singing words that don’t rhyme can work really well. The entire bridge doesn’t rhyme at all. You can’t put this song into a box.”

TRACKLIST:

1. Green Grass, Rainwater
2. Midnight Comes Too Soon
3. Ain't Drinkin' Beer No More
4. Top Down Blues
5. Different People
6. Cut You Loose
7. Poor Kelly Blues
8. Thump And Bump
9. Just Another Country Road