All-Time Great Jazz Guitarist Here This Month

A musician named as one of “the greatest guitarists of the 20th century” will showcase his talent in Auckland this month.

Robben Ford, who features in Musician magazine’s list of all-time greats, will kick off his New Zealand tour in May and June with an event at the Bruce Mason Theatre on May 30 at 8pm.

Robben, who grew up in a musical household and formed the Charles Ford Blues Band with his brothers, was a member of L.A. Express and has collaborated with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, Larry Carlton, Jimmy Witherspoon, Georgie Fame and Kiss.

Robben has received five Grammy Award nominations and, in 1989, joined the cast of The Sunday Night Band for the final season of the late-night NBC television programme, Sunday Night.

His album Talk To Your Daughter was an international hit when released 30 years ago and remains one of the benchmark jazz albums of all time.

Jazz legend, Rodger Fox, negotiated Robben Ford’s tour when he was in the US playing at the 60th Monterey Jazz Festival last September and says Ford, with his signature model guitars, is one of the finest exponents alive today.

“Robben has never played with the Rodger Fox Big Band before and his North Island tour will be a highlight of the jazz/blues year,” Rodger says. “He’s played with the best, is an extremely versatile musician and is master of blues, jazz, jazz fusion and rock.”

Sharing the spotlight will be a dazzling artist who’s been likened to rock singer, Janis Joplin, many times. Lydia Pense and Janis dominated the stage in the late 1960s and, when Joplin recommended her to legendary concert promoter, Bill Graham, she was signed to his new record label, Fillmore Records.

With this backing and a captive San Francisco audience, Lydia Pense and her band, Cold Blood, forged their own special brand funk soul and rhythm and blues which came to be known as East Bay Grease. That music still holds up nearly 50 year later proving that great music is timeless and will continue to inspire generations to come.

Rodger Fox, met Lydia at San Francisco last year and engaged her to make her first New Zealand tour in May and June. Her seven venue tour with Robben Ford includes Auckland, Tauranga, Upper Hutt, Palmerston North, Napier, Dunedin and Wellington.

“Lydia is a rock-soul-jazz singer whose distinctive style has been compared to Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin and Teena Marie,” Rodger Fox says.

American critics describe Pense as still able to “shout like a 60’s soul diva and purr a slow blues tune with spine-tingling subtlety. Lydia still has the chops with the patina of a seasoned veteran who’s done it and seen it all.”

Her own albums, Cold Blood, Sisyphus, First Taste Of Sin, Transfusion and Vintage Blood Live have all enhanced her own dynamic reputation.

The Rodger Fox Big Band, with guest artists Robben Ford and Lydia Pense, play at Bruce Mason on Wednesday, May 30, at 8pm. Book at www.ticketmaster.co.nz

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