This is the companion piece to Avenue Jazz's 1997 release, Discovering The Blues. Tracks for this CD were selected from the same 1972 performances as Discovering the Blues, as well as some from the Marquee Club in London. This collection leans quite a bit more towards Robben's jazzier side, but as always, the blues still runs deep. For my taste, the music here is more interesting and varied then on the previous release. There are slow simmering moments but there are boisterous ones as well. When playing in a more jazz-based framework, the band sounds freer and more adventurous. Ford shows great maturity in his playing that belies his young age. His beautiful tone and flawless technique are always present, but never at the expense of the song. He allows the band alot of breathing room (in particular keyboardist Paul Nagle, who adds a tremendous amount to the performances) and shines when it's his moment in the spotlight. At maybe just 21 years of age he proves to be smooth, soulful, intelligent, and electrifying in every note he plays. To showcase his Saxophone chops, Ford and the band pull off a supercharged version of Miles' Eighty One. Certainly no John Coltrane, Robben nonetheless shows he's amazingly talented, and the Coltrane influence is strongly evident.

The lineup for these gigs was: Paul Nagle on keyboards, Stan Poplin on bass, and Jim Baum on drums. Jimmy Witherspoon also contributed some guest vocals on cuts four and eight. Times on the tracks are: Oh Gee (6:31); Red Rooster (4:25); Eighty One (8:08); Ain't Nobody's Business (3:50); Sunrise (11:28); Blue & Lonesome (8:23) (also appearing on Discovering The Blues); Miss Miss (8:58); and Everyday I Have The Blues (5:26).

This is an incredible opportunity to catch a young Robben Ford stretching out and blazing away live, and I strongly recommend it. It's something every Ford fan should own. Of course, as I said above, this release has more of a jazz vibe to it, so if you're interest is primarily blues you may rate this a bit lower than I would, and I'd suggest checking out Discovering The Blues first. However, I think the energy and adventurous spirit of this music, along with the guitar mastery of Robben Ford, makes this CD a sure thing. Take a chance...