Disc of the day: 06-11-09

Jimmy Witherspoon: Live At The 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival (MJF Records 0888072306387)
Of course, a Jimmy Witherspoon record is always a pleasure, even if the sound of the electric piano is distorting and the sound is generally not what it might be, but the man is in fine voice and his humour and energy carries things along just nicely.

But the other crucial thing that elevates this disc is summed up in the words Witherspoon shouts after the opening number, I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town: “Robben Ford, ladies and gentlemen. Robben Ford!”

The guitarist tells in liner notes how he first played with Witherspoon at a club in Palo Alto, California, where Ford’s was the resident band. Robben played alto saxophone with ‘Spoon because the legendary bluesman already had a guitarist with him. It was clearly not going to be long before Ford was ‘Spoon’s guitarist of choice.

Just try Goin’ Down Slow – eight minutes and 27 seconds of a slow blues in A Flat that the singer takes in a relaxed and quiet manner for a couple of verses, before handing over to Ford who does the slow build with an exquisite wirey tone and some choice repeated blues lines. At the start of his solo the crowd is fairly laid back; by the end they are roaring with pleasure – and so is Witherspoon who asks with irony “ain’t it just blacks that got rhythm?” before taking up his battle cry again: “Robben Ford! Robben Ford! Robben Ford!..”

A real pleasure on a Friday night, or a Saturday afternoon, or any time.