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Ricky Ford

Tenor Saxophonist Ricky Ford was born 4 March 1954, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Ford started to play drums, and then changed to tenor saxophone at the age of 15, inspired by Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Ran Blake heard him playing in a Boston Club and persuaded him to study music at the New England Conservatory. (Blake later invited him to play on several albums too, including “Rapport,” “Short Life Of Barbara Monk” and “That Certain Feeling”).

In 1974 Ford joined the Duke Ellington Orchestra under the leadership of Mercer Ellington and in 1976 he replaced George Adams in the Charles Mingus group, recording on “Three Or Four Shades of Blue” and “Me Myself An Eye.”

In the late 70s and early 80s he played with Dannie Richmond, Mingus Dynasty, George Russell, Beaver Harris, Lionel Hampton and Adbullah Ibrahim’s Ekaya group. However, following the release of his debut album in 1977 he has worked increasingly as a leader, often recording with Jimmy Cobb and ex-Ellington colleague James Spaulding.

His latest releases also feature one of his New England Conservatory teachers, Jaki Byard. In 1999 he released “Balaena,” followed by Songs For My Mother,” in 2002 and “Reed and Keys,” in 2003 where he teamed up with pianist Kirk Lightsey.

A strong, authoritative tenor player, Ford's fluency in most idioms of modern jazz has perhaps hindered the development of an individual voice. From 2000, he has been Professor at the Bilgi University in Istambul, Turkey.

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19
Interview

Ricky Ford: From Across the Sea

Read "Ricky Ford: From Across the Sea" reviewed by R.J. DeLuke


Ricky Ford is a badass tenor saxophonist. Many will recall his fierce and strong playing on his Muse releases in the '80s. Others may be aware that he was a stalwart member of big bands like the Duke Ellington Orchestra under the leadership of Mercer Ellington and with Charles Mingus and later the Mingus Dynasty band. Those Muse disks, and releases on Candid Records, included monster players like Jaki Byard, John Hicks, Jimmy Cobb, Larry Coryell, Louis Hayes, ...

11
Album Review

Ricky Ford: The Wailing Sounds of Ricky Ford: Paul’s Scene

Read "The Wailing Sounds of Ricky Ford: Paul’s Scene" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


Is there a more underrated player than Ricky Ford? On any horn? Perhaps the fact that he took over Paul Gonsalves' chair in the (Mercer) Ellington orchestra when he was still a kid led people to think he had yet to prove himself. There was a brief stint with Charles Mingus. And there was his association with Lionel Hampton as a featured soloist. Ford showed up in a number of bands, most notably with Tom Harrell in Play ...

106
Album Review

Ricky Ford: [Balaena]

Read "[Balaena]" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Heldentenor Veteran Tenorist Rick Ford debuts of Jazz Friends with a solid live set supported by a truly all-star rhythm section of George Cables; Cecil McBee, and Ed Thigpen. This release is made up of mostly extended pieces where Ford shows his depth and breadth form Dexter Gordon passing through Sonny Rollins on his way to John Coltrane. “Pie Crust" encompasses all in on piece. Equal adept in the blues and ballads, Ford hones his chops in both venues. George ...

148
Album Review

Ricky Ford Quartet: Balaena

Read "Balaena" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Ricky Ford is a gifted, if underrated veteran tenor saxophonist who has been making records for some twenty-five years now. He carries forth the tenor tradition with a big sound reminiscent of Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, but with a style that employs harmony and meter in such a way that distinguishes him from his predecessors. This CD, entitled Balaena , finds Ford heading an excellent quartet featuring George Cables, Cecil McBee, and Ed Thigpen. Recorded live in Paris last ...

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7

Recording

'The Wailing Sounds Of Ricky Ford: Paul’s Scene' - Ricky Ford Brings A Lifetime Of Experience To His Newest Recording

'The Wailing Sounds Of Ricky Ford: Paul’s Scene' - Ricky Ford Brings A Lifetime Of Experience To His Newest Recording

Source: Mixed Media Promotion

It is with tremendous pride that Whaling City Sound announces the new Ricky Ford recording, The Wailing Sounds of Ricky Ford. Not only does Ford bring impeccable credentials with him wherever he goes, but he also happens to have deep ties to New England, which is why the recording title is something of a play on words, with reference to his connection to Southeastern Massachusetts, and the city of New Bedford, also known as “The Whaling City.” Unsung compared to ...

186

Recording

Ran Blake with Ricky Ford & Steve Lacy: That Certain Feeling (George Gershwin Songbook), available September 2010

Ran Blake with Ricky Ford & Steve Lacy: That Certain Feeling (George Gershwin Songbook), available September 2010

Source: Werner Uehlinger

Songs—with or without lyrics—being no less than stories, and the best songs of George (and frequently Ira) Gershwin being stories of the first order, any number of these exhilarating moments are to be heard on this disc, a result of the material (Gershwin's) inspiring the imagination of the improviser, Ran Blake. Blake's art is wholly a product of his acute attention (to the stories, images, and utterances of his imagination) and integrity (in the formal process of making music, spontaneously). ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Wailing Sounds of...

Whaling City Sound
2022

buy

Reeds and Keys

Jazz Friends Productions
2003

buy

Balaena

Jazz Friends Productions
2000

buy

[Balaena]

Jazz Friends Productions
2000

buy

Loxodonta Africana

Muse Records
1997

buy

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