I'm a big fan of both Mark Ford and Jason Ricci. Of course Mark was playing before Jason was born. Both use electronic effects but are careful not to let them destroy their personal tone and style. Beyond that, I don't think they have the same tone. Jason's main influence was Pat Ramsey. Mostly it is the differences between individuals, but also Jason uses an Ultimate 57; Mark uses a Shure 520. ---------- /Greg
Aw yes, back in the day when people actually danced on the dance floor instead of 3 rows deep of really tall guys standing there with their beers nodding their heads up and down.
I think that there are several players with better tone but the musicality of Mark Ford and that band is unreal. Love that Frank, keep it coming :) ---------- Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
'Aw yes, back in the day when people actually danced on the dance floor instead of 3 rows deep of really tall guys standing there with their beers nodding their heads up and down.'
And that is why I DON'T play harp in a blues band.
I came across Mark Ford in the mid nineties and I think his one of the five best blues harmonica players now working. Definitely in the Butterfield mold, Mark's playing is big and powerful, with a vibrato that winds around your neck while it warbles away, an absolutely brilliant legato style that makes his singular playing even more awe inspiring. I don't think there's a better blues harp musician who can chord, gliss or creating Coltrane inspired sheets of sound as well as Mark Ford. He is not an overblow player, but he doesn't need to be. Ford has done what very few blues players do in their life time, create a sound and style within a musical idiom that is theirs alone, instantly recognizable. Bravo, Mark Ford. ---------- Ted Burke http://youtube.com/watch?v=-VPUDjK-ibQ&feature=relmfu ted-burke.com
@TheoBurke - unfortunately he is not working. He is content with his job as an EMT, and plays maybe once or twice a year for a show with his brothers. Andy Just has had the Ford Brothers harp duties for quite some time, and pretty much handles all their shows (of which there aren't many.) Or should I say handled? Last time I talked to Andy he was having some major ear trouble and had lost so much of his hearing he was worried he might not be able to play any more. I know he was scheduled for some surgery to help with that (this was a sudden onset thing - may have had to do with his playing very loud all those years but I believe there was something else, possibly correctable, going on. Haven't talked to him now in almost a year, not sure what his current status is. ---------- /Greg
Greg - I saw Andy two times in the past couple of weeks. I was subbing for Aki at the Grand Dell jam and Andy dropped in. He played a few numbers and sounded great! Someone, I can't remember who, mentioned that his health had improved enough for him to get out and play. He had Phil Benson with him. They played a very Ford Brothers set. You would have loved it.
A couple of days later, I saw him at a Tip of the Top show. I had to leave before they called him up.
