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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Goin' Down That Road Feeling Bad |
| 2. John Henry |
| 3. Take This Hammer |
| 4. Cocaine Blues |
| 5. Candy Man |
| 6. Goin' Down Slow |
| 7. Sittin' On Top Of The World |
| 8. Come Back baby |
| 9. Frankie 'n' Albert |
| 10. Stagger Lee |
| 11. Juke Dance |
| 12. Honey Pie |
| 13. Satisfied |
| 14. Sophisticated Shade |
Product Description
CD Description
Opus 3 Records was fortunate to discover Eric Bibb in 1977 and his 2nd album "Spirit & the Blues" in1994 was his breakthrough album worldwide. "Blues, Ballads & Work Songs" is his new and 5th album on Opus 3 To Quote Eric: “Blues, Ballads & Work Songs'”is an album I have been working on for most of my life. Its release coincides with my 60th birthday and it celebrates the music that first inspired me to become a guitar-playing singer. Being as passionate about writing songs as I am about singing and playing traditional material, I couldn't resist including the self-penned tunes at the end of the record. These newer songs, are the 'children' of the older ones.
From the Artist
"Blues, Ballads & Work Songs"is an album I have been working on for most of my life. Its release coincides with my 60th birthday and it celebrates the music that first inspired me to become a guitar-playing singer.
Being as passionate about writing songs as I am about singing and playing traditional material, I couldn't resist including the self-penned tunes at the end of the record. These newer songs, are the 'children' of the older ones.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Two of my favourite CDs of the last twenty years are Eric's 'Spirit & the Blues' and 'Good Stuff' both recorded in Sweden on the Opus 3 lable and both featuring Eric's wonderful singing, good modern songs and superb playing from the Swedish backing musicians. I was therefore very excited when I heard that this record was coming out on Opus 3 and would feature Eric doing traditional blues, ballads and worksongs. The record was suggested by Opus 3's Jan-Eric Persson and apparently Eric had also considered doing a similar record but "wasn't sure he was ready for it", he correctly notes that "the trick is to make it your own, while still honouring the tradition". The record was therefore recorded a couple of songs at a time between June 2005 and March 2011.
The first 10 songs on the album feature Eric solo doing traditional blues and folk and then there are an extra four self-penned tracks including a guitar instrumental and 3 tracks where Eric is backed by musicians including bassist Roger Ekman, Congolese guitarist Kahanga Dekula and mouth percussionist Bo Juhlin.
I've got to say that on the first couple of listens I'm a bit disappointed and I'm not really sure why. Eric plays and sings everything marvelously, his guitar playing is more varied than it normally is and similarly he also varies the tone of his vocals. Also, the sound is really good (this is a hybrid SACD) but for me the magic that was present on his Opus 3 records noted above just isn't apparent here. I don't know if this is because the record was recorded over six years or because material like 'John Henry', 'Cocaine blues' and 'Stagger Lee' etc is just a bit too familiar. I'm exactly the same age as Eric and so I also grew up with and love these songs and while I think that Eric has definitely (in his own words) "honoured the tradition" I just feel that there is something missing. I sometimes feel that Eric's recent songs can be too 'polite' and 'politically correct' and I was hoping that these blues classics would give him more of an edge but I wonder if he has been too respectful to the tradition? I find this very frustrating because I thought that his recent 'Troubador live' CD with Staffan Astner on electric guitar was excellent. However, I felt that the augmented tracks here also lacked something, although I did like the African guitar from 'Master Vumbi' Dekula on 'My Honey Pie'. I'd probably go with the John Hurt-inspired 'Stagger Lee' as my favourite track and similarly Eric seems most at home on the Hurt/Gary Davis-style songs like 'Cocaine blues' 'Candy man' etc.
The 'sleeve notes' are very good with Eric noting which guitar he plays (7-string Martin, Stella, National etc) on each track as well as whose playing influeced his version of the track - John Cephas, Gary Davis and Dave Van Ronk etc. The lyrics are also included together with all the usual credits and also details of studio mikes and mixing equipment! The CD also comes in 'Super Jewel Box' a design of jewel case that I haven't seen before but which seems a great improvement on the normal cheapo CD case.
The first 10 songs on the album feature Eric solo doing traditional blues and folk and then there are an extra four self-penned tracks including a guitar instrumental and 3 tracks where Eric is backed by musicians including bassist Roger Ekman, Congolese guitarist Kahanga Dekula and mouth percussionist Bo Juhlin.
I've got to say that on the first couple of listens I'm a bit disappointed and I'm not really sure why. Eric plays and sings everything marvelously, his guitar playing is more varied than it normally is and similarly he also varies the tone of his vocals. Also, the sound is really good (this is a hybrid SACD) but for me the magic that was present on his Opus 3 records noted above just isn't apparent here. I don't know if this is because the record was recorded over six years or because material like 'John Henry', 'Cocaine blues' and 'Stagger Lee' etc is just a bit too familiar. I'm exactly the same age as Eric and so I also grew up with and love these songs and while I think that Eric has definitely (in his own words) "honoured the tradition" I just feel that there is something missing. I sometimes feel that Eric's recent songs can be too 'polite' and 'politically correct' and I was hoping that these blues classics would give him more of an edge but I wonder if he has been too respectful to the tradition? I find this very frustrating because I thought that his recent 'Troubador live' CD with Staffan Astner on electric guitar was excellent. However, I felt that the augmented tracks here also lacked something, although I did like the African guitar from 'Master Vumbi' Dekula on 'My Honey Pie'. I'd probably go with the John Hurt-inspired 'Stagger Lee' as my favourite track and similarly Eric seems most at home on the Hurt/Gary Davis-style songs like 'Cocaine blues' 'Candy man' etc.
The 'sleeve notes' are very good with Eric noting which guitar he plays (7-string Martin, Stella, National etc) on each track as well as whose playing influeced his version of the track - John Cephas, Gary Davis and Dave Van Ronk etc. The lyrics are also included together with all the usual credits and also details of studio mikes and mixing equipment! The CD also comes in 'Super Jewel Box' a design of jewel case that I haven't seen before but which seems a great improvement on the normal cheapo CD case.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
There are few artists that are so consistently good as Eric Bibb.To me he is like a 21st century Mississippi John Hurt,and an album of his would be excellent. Last year EB's 'Bookers Guitar' was my album of the year.2011 has already seem the wonderful 'Live at the Troubadour' come out and that already hit my no'1 of the year,now this follows and again could snatch that place as album of the year for me.All but the last the three tracks are solo performances, his acoustic playing surely makes him one of the best there is, and here he excells again on covers of some blues classics, some very tastefully rearranged songs as well as a group of new self written ones.Everyone is surely going to get consistent plays from this blues master.He possesses such a wonderful voice and alongside his guitar work makes listening pleasure even if you no blues or roots music fan.I was amazed that he's reached sixty years old,thought he was much younger than that,but no matter he is amongst the finest artists around today,winning several top awards,headlining festivals and filling halls around the world testify to his talent.Songwise material here includes Rev. Gary Davis's 'Cocaine Blues', 'John Henry','Take This Hammer', 'Goin' Down Slow' and 'Sittin' On Top Of The World' fourteen tracks in all.Nice to see also he's recorded this set on Opus 3 records where some of his finest albums a few years ago were released and in SACD to give such a clear sound throughout the recording.This truly is a wonderful,uplifting, beautifully played and sung recording that will take it's place among the great blues recordings over many years to come.A CLASSIC.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is just superb. Eric is just a great storyteller and this set is very intimate. It's like having him sing in your living room just to you and your friends. The mix probably needs a better stereo than most of us have so its worth taking some time to adjust the sound. This is not a showy record, nor is Eric singing out to a big crowd. He is just getting into the songs and if you listen he will draw you in.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Blues ballads and work songs
A great voice, and skilful guitar playing using a variety of instruments and tunings. Lovely mixture of old songs re-created. You can't not like Eric Bibb.
Published 3 months ago by Jonesey
Eric Bibb music
This cd is amazing. Eric Bibb is an artist with a big A.He's one of my favorite songwriter and singer the'll i've ever heard in my life. This album is like the others Perfect !
Published 6 months ago by kal-el1707
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