The Ford Blues Band consists of Patrick Ford, drums; Dewayne Pate, bass; Andy Just, harp; Tony Lufrano, keyboards; and Volker Strifler, Chris Cain and Robben Ford on guitars. The most well known among them is Robben Ford as he has played or recorded with everyone including Charlie Musselwhite, Tom Scott, Jimmy Witherspoon, The Yellowjackets, and his own groups including various versions of this band. He is a versatile guitarist capable of playing in different styles yet among his biggest influences are Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield.

In 2001 Robben Ford and The Ford Blues Band released "A Tribute To Paul Butterfield". They reprised songs from the first five Paul Butterfield albums. Paul Butterfield, a blues harmonica player, singer, band leader and arranger was the first to bring Chicago blues to my generation. My own musical tastes and those of my peers have been defined by listening to Paul Butterfield. Paul Butterfield's first two guitarists were Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop. Michael Bloomfield was my first guitar hero.

The following year, and as a follow up, The Ford Blues Band released "In Memory of Michael Bloomfield". This time the tribute was on guitarist Michael Bloomfield who had left the Paul Butterfield Blues Band to form his own band "The Electric Flag". Michael Bloomfield was a passionate exponent of the slow blues and a great influence on guitarists like Robben Ford, Chris Cain, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

This release by the Ford Blues Band is a concert performed in support of the two tribute albums and appropriately named the Butterfield/Bloomfield Concert. It not only serves as a reminder of the musical depth of Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield but is also an introduction to Robben Ford and the other featured musicians that make this a passionate album. The album opens with a reworked version of the Howlin Wolf classic "Killing Floor" that opens The Electric Flag's first album "A Long Time Coming". The fat horn section is so good that this is actually better than The Electric Flag version. Also from this album is the Nick Gravenites song "Groovin' Is Easy".

From The Paul Butterfield Album "East-West" the Ford Blues Band covers the traditional "I've Got a Mind To Give Up Living" and also interprets the Michael Bloomfield instrumental "East-West" renamed here "East/West Redux". "East-West", the first rock song to include an extended guitar solo with eastern musical scales pre-dated acid rock. From the Elektra sampler "What's Shakin'" (featuring the Paul Butterfield Blues Band) they include "Lovin' Cup" and "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" (these finally re-issued as "The Original Lost Elektra Sessions"). Also included is "Peter's Trip" from the original soundtrack of the Peter Fonda movie "The Trip" featuring music by The Electric Flag. Last is "Blues For MB" an original by Robben Ford and Volker Strifler. See bluerockit.com

Richard Ludmerer
Director, The New York Blues & Jazz Society
ricdale2@yahoo.com