Ricky Ford (born March 4, 1954) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist.
Biography
Ford was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States,) and studied at the New England Conservatory.[ Ricky Ford], AllMusic In 1974, he recorded with Gunther Schuller and then played in the Duke Ellington Orchestra under Mercer Ellington from 1974 to 1976. After this he played with Charles Mingus (1976–1977), Dannie Richmond (1978–1981), Lionel Hampton (1980–1982), and then in the Mingus Dynasty (1982). He also played with Abdullah Ibrahim (1983–1990) and Mal Waldron (1989–1994), and has recorded with many other notable musicians including Yusef Lateef, Sonny Stitt, McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard, Amina Claudine Myers, Sathima Bea Benjamin, Steve Lacy, and others.
Ford has recorded extensively as a leader for Muse and Candid.
He settled in Paris, France, in the 1990s.Mathieu Perez, "Ricky Ford: Five or Six Shades of Jazz" (interview), Jazz Hot No. 668, Summer 2014. He taught at Istanbul Bilgi University from 2001 to 2006.
In 2009 he founded the Toucy Jazz Festival Toucy Jazz Festival, Toucyjazzfestival.com. in Yonne, (France), and invited musicians including Rhoda Scott (2009) and Ravi Coltrane (2011).
Discography As leader/co-leader Loxodonta Africana (New World. 1977) Manhattan Plaza (Muse, 1978) Flying Colors (Muse, 1980) Tenor for the Times (Muse, 1981) Interpretations (Muse, 1982) Future's Gold (Muse, 1983) Shorter Ideas (Muse, 1984) Looking Ahead (Muse, 1986) Saxotic Stomp (Muse, 1987) Hard Groovin' (Muse, 1989) Manhattan Blues (Candid, 1989) Ebony Rhapsody (Candid, 1990) – live Hot Brass (Candid, 1992) – rec. 1991 American-African Blues (Candid, 1992) – live rec. 1991 Tenor Madness Too! (Muse, 1992) Tenors of Yusef Lateef & Ricky Ford with Yusef Lateef (YAL/Bomba, 1996) – rec. 1994 Balaena (Jazz Friends Productions, 1999) Songs for My Mother (Jazz Friends Productions, 2002) Reeds and Keys with Kirk Lightsey (Jazz Friends Productions, 2003) Green Note - Live at La Fenêtre (Marge, 2003) 7095 with Ze Big Band (Solidor Productions, 2010) Sacred Concert with Ze Big Band (Ze Big Band Association, 2013)
As sideman With Dannie Richmond Dannie Richmond Plays Charles Mingus (Timeless, 1981) Dionysius (Red, 1983) The Last Mingus Band A.D. (Landmark, 1994) – rec. 1980
With Mal Waldron Crowd Scene (Soul Note, 1989) Where Are You? (Soul Note, 1989)
With others Ran Blake, Short Life of Barbara Monk (Soul Note, 1986) Jaki Byard, July in Paris (Fariplay, 1998) Richard Davis, Total Package (Marge, 1998) Abdullah Ibrahim, Water from an Ancient Well (Tiptoe, 1986) Steve Lacy, Vespers (Soul Note, 1993) Ronnie Mathews, Legacy (Bee Hive, 1979) Red Rodney, The 3R's (Muse, 1982) – rec. 1979 Rhoda Scott, Very Saxy - Live Au Meridien (Ahead, 2009)[2CD] – live Jack Walrath, Revenge of the Fat People (Stash, 1981)
References
External links Mathieu Perez, "Ricky Ford: Five or Six Shades of Jazz" (interview), Jazz Hot No. 668, Summer 2014.