Few artists are able to mix music and social commentary as seamlessly as acoustic blues artist Eric Bibb. This time around, he weaves stories and tales with a handful of disparate guests, and makes it all work in the rural red clay of Bibb’s delivery. Jazzer Russell Malone gives a tasty treat to “The Ballad of John Howard Griffin” while “Hold The Line” is a lovely and tender treat. A story about Son House on “I Got My Own” includes Amar Sundy on guitar, while West African vocals and kora bring exotic breezes into “Free”. There’s a little sing along with Harrison Kennedy on “Call Me By My Name” wile Taj Mahal and Jotavious Willis are avuncular during Blues Funky Like Dat”. Bibb’s string band goes minstrel on “Sinner Man” and Bibb himself picks out some ideas on a funky “Family” and calipso’d “Joybells”. You can almost miss the messages through the music, but Bibb won’t allow that, with his sorghum voice drawing you into messages about the important things of life worth living for, and listening to.Eric Bibb: Ridin’
Few artists are able to mix music and social commentary as seamlessly as acoustic blues artist Eric Bibb. This time around, he weaves stories and tales with a handful of disparate guests, and makes it all work in the rural red clay of Bibb’s delivery. Jazzer Russell Malone gives a tasty treat to “The Ballad of John Howard Griffin” while “Hold The Line” is a lovely and tender treat. A story about Son House on “I Got My Own” includes Amar Sundy on guitar, while West African vocals and kora bring exotic breezes into “Free”. There’s a little sing along with Harrison Kennedy on “Call Me By My Name” wile Taj Mahal and Jotavious Willis are avuncular during Blues Funky Like Dat”. Bibb’s string band goes minstrel on “Sinner Man” and Bibb himself picks out some ideas on a funky “Family” and calipso’d “Joybells”. You can almost miss the messages through the music, but Bibb won’t allow that, with his sorghum voice drawing you into messages about the important things of life worth living for, and listening to.