God doesn't need to know what time it is.

"As talented as he is, I have to admit I have mixed feelings about his playing. I take very seriously the notion of the musician’s priorities as being in service to first the song, second the singer, third the ensemble, and lastly his instrument. I’m not sure Brad sees things that way."

bdp24-

IMO Brad is more of an "entertainer" that happens to play guitar.

"I saw Robben on the Tiger Walk tour and enjoyed that material very much. "

stuartk- I bought the CD when it was released. Still play it now and then. While I do like the album, wasn’t compelled to listen to his other work.

@bdp24 IMO, one example of a player who is capable of doing all the showy “whootly-whootly” wankery but chooses to instead be only in service of the song is Lindsey Buckingham.  

@tomcy6: Rodney’s The Houston Kid is as good an album as I have ever heard, in my Top 10 of all time. He wrote an accompanying book, Chinaberry Sidewalks, which is well worth reading. He served as Emmylou’s band leader/harmony singer for a while, a role now played by another fave of mine, Buddy Miller.

Buddy is a great guitarist, singer, producer, and picker of material. Buddy’s wife and musical collaborator Julie is just wonderful, an Angel sent from Heaven. Buddy and Julie have done a couple of albums together, and he has of course also produced her solo work. I also have the albums she did when she was a Contemporary Christian artist (one album produced by Buddy), the world she and Buddy came to the secure world from.

I really need to see Emmylou and Buddy live together, but though they have appeared at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco (my old friends who still live in San Jose/Cupertino attend those shows), they don’t come up to the Northwest, where I now reside.

@tablejockey 

"Tiger Walk" is fairly unique in Ford's output.  Although I enjoy the the material very much, I can't listen to it because of the production values. IMO, the rhythm section is so soul-less and robotic, they needn't have used real musicians. There is a live in Paris DVD I like much better that features some of the same tunes. 

@bdp24 

I read and enjoyed "Chinaberry Sidewalks" very much. 

You mention the Millers. Let's not forget Gurf Morlix, who made stellar contributions to Lucinda Williams' early albums . . another Tele player!  

I'm wondering how you made the adjustment from CA to the Pacific Northwest. We lived in Eugene for 6 years and never were able to get used to the gloom. This followed 10 years in Maine in which the weather was rarely an issue. At least those New England winters include plenty of sunny days. 

"the rhythm section is so soul-less and robotic, they needn't have used real musicians."

stuartk-

I think you described the overall vibe of the album. Music for the sake of music- in background while doing chores in the house.

Guitarists  for Miles in pecking order John McLaughlin, John Scofield with, Mike Stern/Robben Ford a toss up.