Eric Bibb (Born 16/08/1951)

Eric launched his career and early on performed at blues and folk festivals in London, Cambridge and Dublin - he eventually settled permanently in Sweden in the 1970s, where he spent some of his time as a music and voice teacher.
Eric's debut album "Spirit And The Blues" was a superb tribute to his musical roots with truly evocative personal interpretations of traditional blues and spirituals, along with a little bluegrass and country. It also included the wonderful 'Needed Time', always a real crowd pleaser at his live gigs. It's a fine debut and the Bibb trademark of warm, intimate performances was already strongly apparent.

The second album "Good Stuff" was close to the debut in terms of overall feel but stepped more into the present with a good proportion of the songs written by Eric himself. Fine material ('Shingle By Shingle' is a particular favourite) and excellent accompaniment made for another excellent release. The instrumentation included traditional drums and guitars mixed in with bouzouki, mandolin and harmonium and the album managed to deliver both a traditional and contemporary sound.

Third on the scene "Me To You" saw a switch of labels and a more electric feel. Eric told the Primer that he was not entirely comfortable about the way the album was positioned and promoted and he did go back to a smaller label for his next release, but there is nonetheless much to admire. It is certainly a more accessible album to the more casual listener but the heart, passion and sincerity of Eric's music still shines through. The songwriting is still incredibly strong, there is a fine duet with Taj Mahal and there is no denying that the increased electronic / acoustic mix adds spice without compromise.
Further material is arriving all the time - "Home To Me" has more of a feel of the earlier albums and we also have a live album to treasure ("Roadworks"), showcasing the man's wonderful rapport with an audience. Newbies should start with "Me To You" because its more immediate and accessible but, ironically, not particularly representative - it's also now a bit tricky to get hold of. Eric's releases arrive on a fairly regular basis and the last at the time of writing was the excellent "Painting Signs".

Eric Bibb is without doubt one of the leading exponents of the current revival of acoustic blues music, although he has undeservedly received far less exposure in the popular media than the likes of Keb Mo. Eric's music is characterised by respect for tradition combined with a genuine contemporary feel and a performance by the man is an enriching experience - he's a fine, percussive guitarist and expressive, warm vocalist. The Primer has been fortunate enough to see the man live on a number of occasions and he has always provided a genuinely uplifting and regenerative experience - and a nicer man you couldn't wish to meet!