James Lewis Carter Ford
b. June 24th, 1923 in Forest (Mississippi)
d. July 16th, 2013 in Greenville (Mississippi)
PEE-WEE GET MY GUN
Fat Possum
January - February 1997
On ne sait pas grand chose de son enfance sinon qu'elle fut difficile marquée par la violence. Il exerça de nombreux métiers comme ouvrier agricole ou camionneur. T-Model Ford fit même un séjour en prison pour meurtre. Mais en situation de légitime défense, sa peine fut réduite de 10 à 2 ans. Bon représentant du Hill Country Blues, il démarre une carrière de bluesman au début des années 90. Ce premier album présente son style rudimentaire : guitare rythmique et tranchante, voix rocailleuse, rythme hypnotique. Accompagné simplement de son ami batteur Spam (alias Tommy Lee Miles). Un blues brut et campagnard, plein de feeling, avec des morceaux excitants comme "Cut you loose", "T-Model theme song", "Where you been" et "Let me in". On peut signaler aussi deux morceaux avec les claviers de Frank Frost : "Been a long time" et "Feels so bad".
Little is known about his childhood, other than that it was difficult and marked by violence. He worked many jobs, including farm labor and truck driving. T-Model Ford even served time in prison for murder. But in self-defense, his sentence was reduced from 10 to 2 years. A fine representative of Hill Country Blues, he began a career as a bluesman in the early 1990's. This first album showcases his rudimentary style : sharp rhythm guitar, raspy vocals and hypnotic rhythms. Accompanied simply by his drummer friend Spam (aka Tommy Lee Miles). A raw, country blues, full of feeling, with exciting tracks like "Cut you loose", "T-Model theme song", "Where you been" and "Let me in". Two tracks featuring Frank Frost's keyboards are also noteworthy : "Been a long time" and "Feels so bad".
FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS - CHAPTER TWO
Fat Possum
January - February 1997
On trouve ici un titre inédit ("Morning gown") provenant des séances de "Pee Wee get my gun".
Here we find an unreleased track ("Morning gown") from the "Pee Wee get my gun" sessions.
YOU BETTER KEEP STILL
Fat Possum
1998
Pour ce second album pour Fat Possum, T-Model Ford reste fidèle à son style de musique : un blues hypnotique et obsédant, très brut. On apprécie dans cette tracklist courte et intense "If I had wings" (en deux parties), "To the left to the right", "Here comes papa", "We don't understand", "The old number" (une reprise de "Catfish blues").
For this second album for Fat Possum, T-Model Ford remains true to his musical style : raw, hypnotic and haunting blues. Highlights of this short and intense tracklist include "If I had wings" (in two parts), "To the left to the right", "Here comes papa", "We don't understand", "The old number" (a cover of "Catfish blues").
TO THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT
Sheep
October 1999
SHE AIN'T NONE OF YOUR'N
Fat Possum
2000
Autour de T-Model Ford, toujours en forme, on retrouve son inséparable ami batteur Spam mais aussi Sam Carr, Bryan Barry et Frank Frost. Il délivre ici un bon opus de Hill Country Blues avec des titres accrocheurs : "She asked me so I told her", "Take a ride with me", "Leave my heart alone", "Wood cuttin' man", Mother's gone".
Around T-Model Ford, still in great form, we can found his inseparable drummer friend Spam as well as Sam Carr, Bryan Barry and Frank Frost. Here, he delivers a fine opus of Hill Country Blues with catchy tracks : "She asked me so I told her", "Take a ride with me", "Leave my heart alone", "Wood cuttin' man", Mother's gone".
BAD MAN
Fat Possum
2002
Un album de Hill Country blues primitif et excitant pour le label Fat Possum (le dernier). La tracklist inspirée mérite l'écoute, en particulier les titres "Ask her for water", "Everything's gonna be alright", "Bad man", "Let the church roll on", "The duke" sans oublier les reprises du "Back door man" d'Howlin' Wolf et "Sallie Mae" de John Lee Hooker.
A primitive and exciting Hill Country blues album for the Fat Possum label (the latest). The inspired tracklist is worth a listen, especially the tracks "Ask her for water", "Everything's gonna be alright", "Bad man", "Let the church roll on", "The duke" not to mention covers of Howlin' Wolf's "Back door man" and John Lee Hooker's "Sallie Mae".
DON'T GET OUT TALKIN' IT (EP)
Fat Possum
2000's
NORTH MISSISSIPPI HILL COUNTRY PICNIC 2007
North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic
June 2007
T-Model Ford apparait sur la scène de ce festival pour jouer un titre simplement intitulé "Instrumental".
T-Model Ford appears on stage of this festival to play a song simply titled "Instrumental".
JACK DANIEL TIME
Mudpuppy
February 2008
Concert capturé au Red's Lounge, un petit juke-joint de Clarksdale et édité en CD par Kari Jones et Roger Stolle (sur leur label nouvellement crée Mudpuppy). Parfois seul à la guitare ou accompagné de musiciens du cru (Terry "Harmonica" Bean, Sam Carr), T-Model Ford propose un set intense et varié avec d'intenses moments comme "I love you baby" (en deux versions : une seul à la guitare acoustique, l'autre avec harmonica et batterie), "Red's houseparty", "Jack Daniel time", "Rock me baby", "Hi-heel sneakers".
The concert was captured at Red's Lounge, a small Clarksdale juke joint, and released on CD by Kari Jones and Roger Stolle (on their newly formed Mudpuppy label). Sometimes solo on guitar or accompanied by local musicians (Terry "Harmonica" Bean, Sam Carr), T-Model Ford delivers an intense and varied set with powerful moments like "I love you baby" (in two versions : one solo on acoustic guitar, the other with harmonica and drums), "Red's houseparty," "Jack Daniel time," "Rock me baby," and "Hi-heel sneakers".
LIVE AT THE DEEP BLUES FEST 2008
Alive
July 2008
Lors de ce festival, T-Model Ford monte sur scène avec le groupe GravelRoad. Il semble toujours en bonne forme malgré ses 85 ans. Dans ce disque honorable, on apprécie en particulier "Hip shakin' woman", "Ask her for water", "Chickenhead man" et "Cut you loose".
At this festival, T-Model Ford goes onstage with the band GravelRoad. He still seems in good shape despite his 85 years. On this decent album, we particularly appreciate "Hip shakin' woman", "Ask her for water", "Chickenhead man" and "Cut you loose".
THE LADIES MAN
Alive
July 2008
Pour le label Alive, T-Model Ford propose cet album tout acoustique. Pour l'occasion, il est accompagné par des musiciens du groupe GravelRoad ainsi que le duo Moreland & Arbuckle. Globalement, un bon set de Hill Country Blues mais comportant quelques morceaux trop longs.
For the Alive label, T-Model Ford presents this all-acoustic album. For the occasion, he is accompanied by musicians from the GravelRoad band as well as the Moreland & Arbuckle duo. Overall, a good Hill Country Blues set, but with a few overlong tracks.
I WAS BORN IN A SWAMP
Alive
2010 - 2011
Toujours pour le label Alive de Patrick Boissel, T-Model Ford retrouve GravelRoad, Moreland & Arbuckle et quelques autres. Cette fois, on navigue entre Hill Country Blues acoustique et un son suramplifié type Garage Rock. Mais l'inspiration n'est plus au rendez-vous.
Still for Patrick Boissel's Alive label, T-Model Ford reunites with GravelRoad, Moreland & Arbuckle, and a few others. This time, they navigate between acoustic Hill Country Blues and an over-amplified Garage Rock sound. But inspiration is no longer there.
TALEDRAGGER
Alive
2011
Encore une fois, l'influence du groupe GravelRoad et, parfois, le son Garage Rock alourdit la musique du bluesman. Mais le manque d'inspiration reste flagrant ici avec des morceaux qui peinent à sortir du lot.
Once again, the influence of the band GravelRoad and, sometimes, the Garage Rock sound weighs down the bluesman's music. But the lack of inspiration remains glaring here, with tracks that struggle to stand out from the crowd.
NORTH MISSISSIPPI HILL COUNTRY PICNIC 2011
North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic
June 2011
Invité une nouvelle fois sur la scène du North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic, T-Model Ford joue ici "I'm goin' down".
Invited once again on stage of the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic, T-Model Ford plays here "I'm goin' down".
NORTH MISSISSIPPI HILL COUNTRY PICNIC 2014
North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic
2010's
T-Model Ford joue une belle et excitante version de "Hip shakin' mama".
T-Model Ford plays a nice and exciting version of "Hip shakin' mama".
NORTH MISSISSIPPI HILL COUNTRY PICNIC - 10TH ANNIVERSARY vol.4 2006 - 2015
North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic
2010's