Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive premiere of Into The Sun, the new album by guitar great Robben Ford.
The album will be released March 31 via Mascot Label Group.
Five-time Grammy nominee Ford, who has worked with George Harrison, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell and many others, describes the 11-song set as “one of the top recordings I’ve ever done,” a pretty staggering observation considering his extensive discography, which includes more than 35 albums under his own name and with his various bands.
Into The Sun is the followup to last year's A Day in Nashville and 2013’s Bringing It Back Home. On it, you'll hear guest appearances by Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes (“High Heels and Throwing Things"), slide guitar guru Sonny Landreth (“So Long 4 U”), Keb’ Mo’ and Robert Randolph (“Justified”), ZZ Ward (“Breath of Me") and Southern rocker Tyler Bryant (“Stone Cold Heaven”).
“The album is really upbeat,” Ford says. “It has a positive vibe to it—a good-time feel. There are a lot of different rhythms and colors and the way the instruments are used is really different on this. It makes me very happy to have something so diverse.
“This album is obviously of these times. And the rule during the recording process was to have no lid on things. I’ve worked very hard to master my craft as a musician and a songwriter, but other than relying on my strengths in those areas, I made sure there was room for new ideas and everything my collaborators brought to the music. When you’re open to different concepts and approaches, the most beautiful things can happen.”
Ford's gear on the album includes a pair of Gibson SG’s from 1963 and 1964, his beloved 1960 Telecaster and his Gibson B-25 acoustic. As he’s done on every album he’s made since 1983, Ford used a Dumble Overdrive Special amp.
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Ford already has a number of shows lined up to support the album, both in America and overseas, and you can check out the dates below. Another notable appearance will be Robben Ford’s Traveling Dojo Guitar Camp at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, New York, in the Catskill Forest Preserve (about 30 miles west of Woodstock) August 31 to September 4. Head here for more information.
For more about Ford and the new album, visit robbenford.com and follow him on Facebook. Be sure to check out Ford's upcoming tour dates, plus an EPK for Into the Sun, below.
Into the Sun Track Listing:
01. Rose of Sharon
02. Day of The Planets
03. Howlin’ at the Moon
04. Rainbow Cover
05. Justified (with Keb’ Mo’ & Robert Randolph)
06. Breath of Me (with ZZ Ward)
07. High Heels And Throwing Things (with Warren Haynes)
08. Cause of War
09. So Long 4 U (with Sonny Landreth)
10. Same Train
11. Stone Cold Heaven (with Tyler Bryant)
ROBBEN FORD – INTO THE SUN - 2015 TOUR DATES
April 10 - Ft. Worth, TX - Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival April 11 - Oklahoma City, OK - Academy of Contemporary Music April 12 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads Saloon April 14 - Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center April 15 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall April 16 - Evanston, IL - SPACE April 17 - Columbus, OH - Woodlands Park Street Saloon April 18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater April 19 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater April 21 - Syracuse, NY - Wescott Theatre April 22 - Londonderry, NH - Tupelo Music Hall April 23 - Fall River, MA - Narrow Center For The Arts April 24 - Beacon, NY - Towne Crier April 25 - Norfolk, VA - Infinity Hall April 26 - New York, NY - City Winery April 29 - London, England - O2 Academy Islington April 30 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - North Sea Jazz Club May 1 - Breda, Netherlands - Mezz Concerts & Dance May 2 - Groningen, Netherlands - Rhythm n Blues Night May 5 - Leuven, Belgium - Het Depot May 8 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Tollhaus May 9 - Hamburg, Germany - Fabrik May 10 - Cologne, Germany - Kantine May 12 - Munich, Germany - Technikum May 18 - Zvecan, Kosovo - North City Jazz and Blues Festival Kosovska Mitrovica - Cultural Centre “Trepca" May 20 - Zurich, Switzerland - Kaufleuten Festival May 30 & 31 - Oakland, CA - Yoshi’s at Jack London Square June 2 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theatre June 3 - Seattle, WA - The Triple Door June 26 - Carpentras, France - Auzon Le Blues Additional dates to be announced soon…
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
