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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZFORD, Ricky(b 4 March '54, Boston MA) Tenor saxist. Studied at New England Conservatory, first recorded with staff members Gunther Schuller, Jaki Byard, Ran Blake (his work with Blake particularly fine), then with the Ellington ghost band '74--6, then got stretched with Charles Mingus '76-- 7, also helping the seriously ill Mingus with the music. Ford's own first album Loxodonta Africana '77 on New World used many of his own tunes. He subsequently worked with Dannie Richmond and Mingus Dynasty, also Lionel Hampton (writing as well as playing in a section with Arnett Cobb and Illinois Jacquet), and in the '80s with Abdullah Ibrahim (Water From An Ancient Well '85 with Carlos Ward, Ben Riley etc). His own albums on Muse '78--89 with lineups variously incl. many interesting players young and older such as Byard, Albert Dailey, Roy Hargrove, Jack Walrath, Jimmy Cobb etc: Manhattan Plaza, Flying Colors, Tenor For The Times, Future's Gold, Interpretations, Shorter Ideas, Looking Ahead, Saxotic Stomp and Hard Groovin'. Manhattan Blues and Ebony Rhapsody '90 (quartet sets with Byard, Milt Hinton and Ben Riley) and Hot Brass '91 (with Lew Soloff, Claudio Roditi, Steve Turre, Christian McBride etc) are all on Candid; then Tenor Madness Too! '92 on Muse has Antoine Roney on second tenor and a first-class rhythm section of Donald Brown, Peter Washington and Louis Hayes. Ford is experienced and at home in any post-bop style, and also able to enter into the soundworld of other composers. |