Already enjoying success in Europe, Grammy nominee Eric Bibb is becoming a familiar face – and voice – in the U.S. Nominated for nine W.C. Handy Blues Music Awards and winner of the Best Newcomer title in the British Blues Awards, Bibb has been appropriately described as “discreetly awesome” and “a total original.” As his popularity escalates, earlier comparisons to legendary greats Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal are being replaced by quotes that speak to Bibb’s ability to “use standard blues ingredients to cook up something all his own.”
Bibb is a native New Yorker with deep roots in the American blues and folk tradition. The son of 1960s folk and musical theater singer and television personality Leon Bibb, Eric’s uncle was the jazz pianist and composer John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet, and Paul Robeson was his godfather. As a boy, he was surrounded by major musical figures of the times. By age 19 he was playing in Parisian restaurants, and has been based primarily in Europe ever since.
A breakout performance at the 1996 London Blues Festival catapulted Eric to a higher level of visibility, especially in Britain. Since then he has toured the world, performing at major festivals like The Glastonbury Cambridge Folk Festival, The Barbican American Festival, The Guinness Blues Festival, Midfytns Festival in Denmark, Cognac Blues Festival in France, Byron Bay & Port Fairey in Australia, WOMEX in Sweden, Vancouver, Edmonton & Calgary Folk Festivals in Canada, Montreal Jazz Festival, Seattle’s Earshot Jazz Festival, Chicago World Music Festival and San Francisco Jazz. He joined Robert Cray on U.S. tours in 2001 and 2002 and opened shows for Ray Charles.
As a recording artist, Eric earned a Grammy nomination for his collaboration (with Taj Mahal and others) on the children’s record, Shakin’ A Tailfeather. And Painting Signs was recognized by New Age Voice as a Finalist for Best Folk Album of 2001. He joined Maria Muldaur and Rory Block to record the gospel-flavored Sisters & Brothers, and then released Friends, a collection of duets with Taj Mahal, Odetta, and others. Recent recordings on Telarc include A Ship Called Love and Diamond Days.
Bibb’s rich and sensitive vocals and lyrics provide a perfect balance to his fine finger picking technique. Purveying a beautifully realized and deftly accomplished soulful folk-blues, Bibb has no problem blending various genres effortlessly, melding a traditional rootsy American style with a subtle, contemporary sensibility.
A performance by Eric Bibb is an enriching experience — both musically and spiritually. His music, like his personality, is intimate, assured and passionate, drawing listeners into the moment more as participants than spectators. In the words of “House of Blues Radio Hour” host Elwood Blues, “You are what the blues in the new century should be about.” – See more at: http://www.getshowtix.com/regattabar/moreinfo.cgi?id=3256#sthash.91LxSxsC.dpuf