ts, sax, *1954 US, Boston
Musician of Jazz
Born 4 March 1954, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Ford started to play drums, 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. A strong, authoritative tenor player, Ford's fluency in most idioms of modern jazz has perhaps hindered the development of an individual voice. Ricky is from 2000 Professor at the Bilgi University in Istambul.
Track list and 30sec audio provided by
Title | Artist | Year | Type |
---|---|---|---|
Ricky's Choice | Ricky Ford | 1999 | Compil. |
Tenors Of | Yusef Lateef & Ricky Ford | 1996 | Album |
American-African Blues | Ricky Ford | 1993 | Album |
Hot Brass | Ricky Ford | 1992 | Album |
Tenor Madness Too! | Ricky Ford | 1992 | Album |
Ebony Rhapsody | Ricky Ford | 1990 | Album |
"Bern Concert '89" | The Newport Jazz Festival All-Stars, George Wein, Ricky Ford, Scott Hamilton, Oliver Jackson, Eddie Jones, Gray Sargent, Norris Turney, Warren Vaché | 1990 | Album |
Manhattan Blues | Ricky Ford | 1989 | Album |
Hard Groovin' | Ricky Ford | 1989 | Album |
Saxotic Stomp | Ricky Ford | 1988 | Album |
Looking Ahead | Ricky Ford | 1987 | Album |
Shorter Ideas | Ricky Ford | 1985 | Album |
Future's Gold | Ricky Ford | 1983 | Album |
The 3 R's | Red Rodney / Richie Cole / Ricky Ford | 1982 | Album |
Interpretations | Ricky Ford | 1982 | Album |
Tenor For The Times | Ricky Ford | 1981 | Album |
Flying Colors | Ricky Ford | 1980 | Album |
Manhattan Plaza | Ricky Ford | 1979 | Album |
Loxodonta Africana | Ricky Ford | 1977 | Album |