Eric Bibb

Eric Bibb ( born August 16, 1951 in New York City ) is an American blues musician and singer-songwriter, which occurs almost exclusively with acoustic guitar ( and hat ) and has been nominated several times for the mobile phone and Blues Music Award. His music style in which he often uses fingerpicking techniques, mixed acoustic blues with folk, gospel, R & B and soul. He is the son of folk singer and actor Leon Bibb, with whom he recorded two albums together also.

• 2.1 albums
• 2.2 DVD

Biography

Childhood and youth

As the son of Leon Bibb Eric grew up in New York in a musically influenced mainly by folk music environment in which he, among others, with the musician friends of his father - and and his uncle, the famous jazz pianist - like Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan and Odetta composer John Lewis, had contact. His godfather, the artist and civil rights activist Paul Robeson, Eric was dedicated in 2006, along with his father, the album Praising Peace - A Tribute To Paul Robeson. After he started at the age of 7 years, playing folk guitar, he learned from 13 years of age to a high school with artistic and musical emphasis also singing and other instruments such as double bass, classical guitar and piano.

Bibb was strongly influenced in his youth by the pronounced folk scene of Greenwich Village at that time and looks today not necessarily as a blues musician, but stressed that he can not see much difference between folk and blues. At the age of 16, he was finally accepted as a guitarist in the constant companion of the TV talent show New Someone of his father. During this period influenced him musically, his uncle John Lewis, who had worked as a jazz musician Miles Davis and would later play a long time in the Modern Jazz Quartet, and brought especially the blues music close to him.

A little later he also played guitar for the Negro Ensemble Company and initially began studying the subjects Russian and psychology at Columbia University.

Start of solo career

However, Bibb left in 1970 without a degree, the United States and went to Europe, where he still lives today mainly. About Paris, where he came in contact with Mickey Baker, who inspired him to play the guitar Robert Johnson, he moved to Stockholm. There he dealt primarily with the Blues from the period before the Second World War and became a regular on his own compositions. In 1972 his first LP was released in Sweden called Is not It Grand. In 1980, Bibb finally returned to New York to continue his career as a professional blues and folk musician. After moderate success, he returned mid-1980s back to Sweden, where he worked as a music teacher, but by the way still occurred and was involved in Stockholms world music scene. More of his LPs published by the 70s to the 90s with several Swedish music labels, usually the independent label Opus 3 Partial cooperated Bibb choices with others resident in Sweden American musicians such as the blues mandolin Bert Seivert or gospel singer Cyndee Peters. He also worked on behalf of BMG as a songwriter for other artists.

Initial success and commercial breakthrough

Greater public attention got Bibb mid-90s, including through a joint appearance with Corey Harris and Keb 'Mo' at the London Blues Festival 1996. His albums Spirit & The Blues from 1995 and Good Stuff from 1997, both the participation of the Times Needed band, shown again on clear gospel and folk influences. These LPs were his first ones - were also published in the U.S. - with a delay.

His cooperation with Taj Mahal and Linda Tillery on the CD Shakin 'A Tailfeather 1997, a compilation of songs for children, was rewarded with a Grammy Nomimierung.

In the following years, Bibb, who is regarded as excellent live musicians toured regularly throughout North America, Australia, Europe and joined, for example, on at the Glastonbury Festival, the WOMAD and at the Royal Albert Hall; in North America, he toured with Ray Charles, Etta James, Robert Cray, John Mayall and Robben Ford Other CD releases, with guest musicians as Pops and Mavis Staples, Bonnie Raitt, Ruthie Foster, Odetta, Guy Davis, Charlie Musselwhite, Bill Lee Mamadou Diabaté and Taj Mahal, followed. Live recordings of his concerts are in different band occupations, has been published on the CD An Evening with Eric Bibb and the double CD Live à FIP.

As of 2005, Bibb succeeded finally also the commercial breakthrough in the U.S.. The studio albums A Ship Called Love (2005), Diamond Days (2007 ) and Get Onboard (2008) sold well and each reached top rankings in the category Best Blues Albums on the Billboard Charts. Songs from these CDs were among others in the movie Gospel Hill and used in the television series The District.

His published in January 2010 album Booker 's Guitar, he devoted himself to the blues legend Booker White, with the eponymous title track of the album was recorded on a resonator guitar from the 1930s, the White should have heard. The 13 original songs on the album, supplemented by an interpretation of the folk traditionals Wayfaring Stranger and the cover version of Blind Willie Johnson's Nobody's Fault But Mine are mostly inspired by the acoustic, classic Delta blues before the war, but a modern interpretation in the style Bibbs. His singing and guitar playing - in contrast to his last studio album Get Onboard, which was recorded with a variety of musicians and instruments - only adds on some songs by the harmonica playing of Grant Dermody. The album reached # 1 in the category Best Blues Albums on the Billboard charts and earned him numerous good reviews and again two nominations - for Best Acoustic Blues Album and Best Acoustic Blues Artist - the Blues Music Awards in 2011.

Eric Bibb is married to a musician and has a daughter.

Discography (selection)

Albums

• Is not It Grand (1972 )
• Rainbow People (1977, repeatedly re-released on CD)
• Olikalikadant (1978), with Cyndee Peters
• Golden Apples of the Sun ( 1981)
• Hello Stranger (1983) with Bert Deivert
• Spirit & The Blues ( 1995), with the Needed Times Band
• Good Stuff ( 1997), with the band Needed Times
• Home To Me (1999)
• Road Works ( 2000)
• Natural Light (2003)
• A Family Affair (2004), with Leon Bibb
• Friends (2004)
• Sisters & Brothers (2004 ) with Rory Block and Maria Muldaur
• Just Like Love (2005)
• Eric Bibb, A Retrospective (2006)
• Praising Peace - A Tribute To Paul Robeson (2006), with Leon Bibb
• Diamond Days (2007)
• An Evening with Eric Bibb (2007 ) Live album - recorded in March 2002 in Sydney, Australia
• Get Onboard (2008)
• Live à FIP (2009 ), two live sessions from 2008 with a different line-up, recorded at the Paris radio station FIP
• Booker 's Guitar (2010)
• Troubadour Live (2011)
• Deeper In The Well ( 2012)
• Jericho Road ( 2013)
• Eric Bibb and the Far North Country (2013 )

DVD

• Live at the Basement (2007), recorded in March 2002 in Sydney, Australia
• Up Close with Eric Bibb (2005) recorded 2005 at music club The Basement in Sydney, Australia