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.
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…