Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, In The Real World , from Eric Bibb . Opening with Take The Stage , a quiet, well penned, ballad with Bibb on guitar and vocal, Glen Scott on drums bass, Hammond and featuring haunting slide by Robbie McIntosh. Very nice. Everybody's Got A Right is a lively track with lighter than a feather lyrics and lush slide work by McIntosh and super backing vocals by Agnese Stengrevics, Chris McGreevy and Glen Scott. This River (Chains & Free) is a ethereal track with confident lead vocals by Bibb and excellent featured vocals by Shaneeka Simon and lush backing vocals by Sepideh Vazin' and Simon. Exception track. Another standout track is Dear Mavis with a steady, percussive, guitar pattern by Bibb under his deep seated vocals. With Glenn Scott on synths, this track is quiet but effective. Out of the ordinary, The Real World is a real nice track with a supple melody and soothing vocals by Bibb and Scott, accompanied by M...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live At The Scala Theatre Stockholm , by Eric Bibb and it's my favorite in a long time. Opening with traditional track, Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad , Eric Bibb on guitar and vocal creates a warm bluesy feel, with excellent slide guitar backing by Christer Lyssarides, Johan Lindstrom on pedal steel, Glenn Scott on bass, Olle Linder on drums, Greger Andersson on harmonica and Esbjorn Hazelius on fiddle. I love the depth and fluidity. Great opener. Led Belly's Bring Me Little Water , Sylvie benefits nicely from the warm, silky vocal of Bibb and Lindstrom on pedal steel, punctuated by Glen Scott on bass makes this track an excellent addition. Walter Vinson's, Things Is 'Bout Comin' My Way has always been one of my favorite blues tracks. I just love the melody. Wrapping the release is Mole In The Ground , another traditional track with very light accompaniment. Bibb always handles this classic t...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gettin' Together , by Michael Jerome Browne and it's a full plate of authentic blues, performed as written. Opening with Mississippi John Hurt's, Monday Morning Blues , Michael Jerome Browne on vocal and 12 string shows a true understanding of the original music with his articulate picking pattern and vocals, joined by Harrison Kennedy on vocal and harmonica. Excellent opener. Delmore Brothers' I've Got The Big River Blues is a terrific track with MJB on guitar and Mary Flower on lap slide guitar. Really nice. Mississippi born Rube Lacy penned Ham Hound Crave and MJB and guitar wiz Colin Linden really bring this track to life. On Bukka White's (BB King's cousin, Booker T. Washington) Fixin' To Die Blues was reimagined as a mountain duet featuring MJB on vocal and gourd banjo and Teilhard Frost on fiddle. This is a great track and it's hard to imagine it any other way. Slow blues, Blac...

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Ridin' , from Eric Bibb and it's a good one. Opening with Family , Bibb really has it going here. With a cool bass line creating an apprehensive sense and his rich vocals and great backing vocals, this is an excellent opener.  Shuffle, The Ballad of John Howard Griffin , featuring Russell Malone, has a cool slickness with jazzy guitar chords and lead. With a tall tale, this track is introspective and positive. Country style blues, Call Me By My Name features Harrison Kennedy, on vocal and guitar trading with Bibb. This is a strong track reviewing the slave plight of human recognition. Wrapping the release is Church Bells , a cool acoustic guitar outro backed by fiddle and bass. Bibb has his own style and his own theme and that's what makes him Bibb. Very nice.    If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like --...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dear America , from Eric Bibb and it may be his best in years. Opening with Whole Lotta Lovin' with it's rolling acoustic guitar riff and backing instrumentation by Ron Carter on bass and Glen Scott on keys this track had a very friendly warmness. Shaneeka Simon joins Bibb and Tommy Sims on lead vocal, and teamed with Steffan Astner on slide guitar gives this track strong appeal. Slower, lumbering Whole World's Got The Blues features a nice appearance by Eric Gales who lights up his electric guitar and Sims on bass, and Glen Scott on drums fill out the bottom. A modern take on the delta style blues, title track, Dear America pairs Bibbs acoustic guitar and vocal over Chuck Anthony on electric guitar, Scott on drums and percussion, Christer Lyssarides on mandola and Simon and Big Daddy Wilson on backing vocals. Strong ballad, Emmett's Ghost plays to Bibb's strength in songwriting, vocal and acoustic gu...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, That's Where It's At! , from Michael Jerome Browne and it's quite fine. Opening with acoustic jazz instrumental, Don't Ask Me Why , Browne shows fleet fingered accuracy backed by the light and tight drum work of John Mc Colgan. Smoking opener with great chops. On shuffle track, Black Nights , Browne slips on the slide and settles down in a nice groove with bluesy vocals and again, Mc Colgan on drums. Harrison Kennedy joins on vocals on traditional delta blues styled Pharaoh , rich in tradition and earthy wealth. Very nice. Remember When is a cool folk ballad with clean acoustic picking and featuring vocal duet with Roxanne Potvin. Very clean. Rolling into Al Green's Here I Am (Come And Take Me) showing that Brown not only has the blues but a rich soul. His vocals are soulful and his guitar playing strong and supportive. Randy Newman's, Lousiana 1927 , never sounded so sweet with solid vocals, in...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent 2 disc release, Global Griot , from Eric Bibb and it's very warm and rich with heavy cultural influences. Opening with Gathering of the Tribes , Bibb blends the rhythms and instrumentation of Africa with his own warm vocal styling creating a unique sound. Rolling into Wherza Money At Bibb works a Jamaican sound and with key trumpet, organ and string accents weaving a really nice cultural textile. Very nice. Boogie track, Black, Brown and White takes on a traditional American blues form with soulful vocals, great rhythm and style. A Room For You is a light, folk style track with nimble fingerpicking, cool percussion and trademark Bibb vocals. Solo Cissokho is featured on Spirit Day, a cool West African flavored track with Harrison Kennedy on vocals. Very cool. Instrumental, Picture A New World is a nice guitar progression on a basic melodic them creating a peaceful sound with interwoven textures of sound. Wrapping the re...

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Migration Blues , from Eric Bibb and it's a nice package. Opening with Refugee Moan , a modern acoustic blues, Bibb on vocal and guitar is joined by Michael Jerome Browne on guitar and violin, JJ Milteau on harp. With a really solid delta blues framework, Bibb masterfully crafts a beautiful recreation of original delta style blues with vocals smooth as silk. Prayin' For Shore is a really supple ballad with nicely appointed guitar accompaniment to Bibbs vocals and Milteau's harp work. Very nice. Title track, Migration Blues , is a articulate blues instrumental with nice finger and slide guitar work, complimented nicely by Milteau's harp. One of my favorite tracks on the release, Brotherly Love , has really strong soul lines. Bibb's vocals really lends itself to this style and his guitar work blended with that of Browne's is terrific. Nothing could be more appropriate to today's climate than W...

Award-Winning Singer/Songwriter Eric Bibb Shines a Light on Migration Blues with New CD Coming March 31 from Stony Plain Records EDMONTON, AB – Stony Plain Records announces a March 31 release date for Migration Blues , the new album from Blues Music Award-winning singer/songwriter Eric Bibb. The new album showcases Eric Bibb’s talents on vocals, guitars, six-string banjo and contrabass guitar, backed by a group that features Michael Jerome Browne (guitars, vocals, banjos, mandolin and triangle) and JJ Milteau (harmonica). Migration Blues was produced by Bibb, Browne and Milteau. Watch a video of the making of Migration Blues here: Mainly composed of new tunes, the 15 tracks on Migration Blues also include covers of Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War” and Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.” An arrangement of the traditional “Mornin’ Train,” closes the opus. “Whether you’re looking at a former sharecropper, hitchhiking from Clarksdale to Chicago in 1923...

THE BLUES FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 38TH BLUES MUSIC AWARD NOMINEES   Awards ceremony to be held May 11, 2017 in Memphis MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Blues Foundation is pleased to announce the nominations for its annual Blues Music Awards , which the international organization will present on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, Tennessee . Universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded blues musicians, The Blues Music Awards upholds its rich cultural tradition by honoring the past year’s superior achievements in blues performance, songwriting, and recording. This annual ceremony represents the premier event for blues professionals, musicians, and fans around the globe.   Sugar Ray Norcia , individually, ...