Eric Bibb – Live at the Scala Theatre, Stockholm
10 Tracks – 45 minutes
72-year-old Eric Bibb’s career has spanned over five decades with over 40 albums recorded. His career has generated many well-deserved accolades and awards including multiple Blues Foundation Music Awards for “Artist of the Year” and “Album of the Year” and three Grammy nominations, the most recent nomination in 2024 for his album, Ridin’. The always smooth-voiced and pleasant vocalist skirts the edge of Americana mixed with his blues. The joy in his voice as he sings his songs is prevalent in every note and while many vocalists sometimes are difficult to pick out all of their lyrics, Eric’s presentations are always fluid and easily discerned. But first and foremost, he is a storyteller and finds or writes songs that he relates to and feels his audience will also be engaged with.
In addition to his vocals, Eric plays the acoustic guitar on all but one track. He is joined by Christer Lyssarides on electric and slide guitar, John Lindstrom on pedal steel and electric guitar, Glen Scott on bass, keyboards, and drums and also produced the album, Olle Linder on drums and upright bass, Greger Anderson on harmonica, and Esbjorn Hazelius on fiddle with a few guests added along the way.
Eric said the intent of this album had three goals in selecting his songs: 1) Tried and true songs that had not appeared multiple times on previous live albums; 2) A few songs from his recent albums Dear America and Ridin’; 3) At least one song that he had never recorded before. He says, “Every song on the album holds a special place in my heart”. The album includes five songs written by Eric, three traditional songs with arrangements by Eric, and two covers of other artists.
The album opens with the traditional “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad”. The song was first recorded in 1923 by Henry Whitter and called “Lonesome Road Blues”. The original song tells the tale of a prison inmate. The lyrics have changed over the years and the song has been recorded by many artists including Bill Monroe, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Grateful Dead and numerous others. Eric makes the song his own. Where the original song says, “I’m down in the jailhouse on my knees”, Eric’s version says, “I’m down in the valley on my knees”, which implies he is praying for better times.
He follows that song with an original, “Silver Spoon”, a song that first appeared on his 2014 album, Blues People. The song is biographical as he recites, “Some say I was born with a silver spoon in mouth / People you know, I’ve paid my dues / Born to play the guitar all around the world / Born to sing the blues”. “Along The Way” from his 2021 Dear America album is next. The song is an encouragement to step back from all your troubles, take the time to appreciate what you have, and forgive those who may have wronged you.
“Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie” was written in 1935 by Lead Belly but not released by him until 1946. The song is a tale of a man working hard in the fields and begging for Sylvie to bring him a drink of water. The second cover is of Walter Vinson’s “Things Is ‘Bout Comin’ My Way” recorded by him in 1930 with the Mississippi Sheiks. Tampa Red did another version of the song in 1931 and, of course, has been sung and altered by many over the years including a more positive version titled “Sitting on Top of the World”. This version would certainly proceed that latter version as it speaks of all the hard times a man on the road has but concludes, “I’m always happy, I’m never mad / Thinkin’ ’bout the bad times I’ve had / ‘Cause after all my hard travelin’ / Things is ’bout to come my way.”
Another original by Eric, “Rosewood”, also appeared on his Blues People album. The song is a story of an African American community that in 1923 was completely wiped out in a fire and massacre that left the whole community and many whites dead. Eric tells the tale as a statement to learn from the past with concerns from the present disunity that is occurring. “Whole World’s Got the Blues” is from Dear America and expresses his worries about all of the confrontations occurring around the world and in America. He states, “If there’s hope for the future gon’ take a quantum leap”. “River Blues” comes from Eric’s 2008 album Get on Board. He seeks solace to relieve his troubled mind as he says he is “Goin’ down to the river soothes my soul just to watch it flow”.
The traditional song “500 Miles” is credited as being written by Hedy West in 1961 and first recorded by Johnny Rivers in 1965. Eric’s version is from his 2023 album Ridin’. “Mole In the Ground” is an Appalachian folk song first recorded by Bascom Lamar Lunsford in 1928. The song had floated around the mountains for years and Bascom said he learned it from a neighbor around 1901. As with other similar songs, lyrics have changed over the years. Eric’s version is from his 2018 album Global Griot. Lamine Cissokho joins on the song on a kora, a long-necked harp lute that brings a unique sound to the song. The song brings a spirited hope for the possibility of change.
In all a very pleasant album. Eric is in top form throughout in a very engaging performance.