Ricky Ford


Ricky Ford is an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

Biography

Ford was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States,) and studied at the New England Conservatory. 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, Dannie Richmond, Lionel Hampton, and then in the Mingus Dynasty. He also played with Abdullah Ibrahim and Mal Waldron, 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. He taught at Istanbul Bilgi University from 2001 to 2006.
In 2009 he founded the Toucy Jazz Festival in Yonne,, and invited musicians including Rhoda Scott and Ravi Coltrane.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

  • Loxodonta Africana
  • Manhattan Plaza
  • Flying Colors
  • Tenor for the Times
  • Interpretations
  • Future's Gold
  • Shorter Ideas
  • Looking Ahead
  • Saxotic Stomp
  • Hard Groovin'
  • Manhattan Blues
  • Ebony Rhapsody – live
  • Hot Brass – rec. 1991
  • American-African Blues – live rec. 1991
  • Tenor Madness Too!
  • Tenors of Yusef Lateef & Ricky Ford with Yusef Lateef – rec. 1994
  • Balaena
  • Songs for My Mother
  • Reeds and Keys with Kirk Lightsey
  • Green Note - Live at La Fenêtre
  • 7095 with Ze Big Band
  • Sacred Concert with Ze Big Band

    As sideman

With Dannie Richmond
  • Dannie Richmond Plays Charles Mingus
  • Dionysius
  • The Last Mingus Band A.D. – rec. 1980
With Mal Waldron
  • Crowd Scene
  • Where Are You?
With others