Robben Ford – Truth

When he applies his genial tenor and jazzy guitar to relatively straightforward fare such as “Moonchild Blues”, Robben Ford does nicely as a refined middle-class blues musician. Ford’s licks have the unfussy quality of afterthoughts, and his command of a sophisticated harmonic language allows him to make something out of “Lateral Climb”, which features horns and the most swinging groove on Truth. He’s always worth hearing, but “River Of Soul”, composed with Nashville songwriter Danny Flowers, seems a little genteel. “Riley B. King”, about another jazz-influenced guitarist with aspirations to sophistication, casts King as a “peaceful warrior”, while Gary Nicholson and Ford’s “How Deep In The Blues (Do You Want To Go)” begins to take off only during its bridge. Still, Ford displays some grit. He doesn’t hide behind his fanciness, and has something to say about the everyday hassles that fuel the blues’ most baroque daydreams.