Booker's Guitar [CD]

This is a review of Eric Bibb's 15-track US version of the CD under review (Telarc Distribution TEL 31756) The UPC code is: 888072317567. The Amazon.co.uk track listing includes only 12 tracks but errors happen quite often in these listings. It should be noted that, in his February 14 review of the CD for the "Sunday Times", Clive Davis speaks of the track "Tell Riley" (which is track #14 on my copy). Davis mentions the following reference: Telarc Blues CD 83690. In an increasingly global market, it does not make sense to cut out three tracks off the UK version as the complete album can be easily bought (or downloaded) from around the world.

Eric Bibb, who is now 58 years old, belongs (along with Alvin Youngblood Hart, Keb' Mo', Corey Harris...) to the third generation of acoustic blues players. He is a fine singer and a master guitar stylist. On this album, he performs mainly with the sole, occasional, accompaniment of harmonica player Grant Dermody (already present on his previous album).

This project started in England when Bibb had the opportunity to play Booker T. White's (a.k.a. Bukka White) original steel-bodied, tri-coned, resonator guitar. This inspired him to compose "Booker's Guitar" in which Bibb extracts sweet sounding, clear ringing notes from the vintage instrument whilst singing about its author's story.

He went further and recorded a tribute to songsters of a bygone era. The remaining tracks were recorded in Ohio with Bibb playing his own instruments.

Bibb wrote all but two of these songs. "The Wayfaring Stranger" - a well-known, traditional folk music song featuring spiritual lyrics - which Bibb learned from a version by the late "folkie" Bob Gibson. Blind Willie Johnson's rightly acclaimed "Nobody's Fault but Mine" was recorded in a way that is light years from the harsh intensity of the original.

The single B-side, "With My Maker I Am One" was - according to the liner notes - inspired by Deepak Chokra, who abandoned his university teaching position to found an association combining elements of Hinduism and Western science into a "holistic approach" including music.

On all of the tracks, Bibb pays tribute to the "blues songster" acoustic tradition by playing a mostly restrained guitar whilst his voice subtly echoes the guitar's tone. Bibb's well honed skills impart each track with a real deep soulfulness. Bibb runs the whole gamut of traditional blues and gospel styles here. There is, however, not a trace of "revivalism" here. Bibb does not copy any of the pre-war guitar stylists at all.

Just listen to a spiritual tune like "One Soul to Save" (inspired by a line in James McBride's historical book titled "Song yet Sung"). Bibb's bluesy "sermon" deals with the recovering of spiritual freedom and the risks that some slaves took to become "free".

The lyrical contents are perfectly in line with the spirit of the old-time blues but are treated in a modern way. Subject matters vary.

"Flood Water" is an account of the now forgotten New-Orleans Mississippi flood of 1926-1927 that also inspired artists such as Bessie Smith, Charley Patton and John Lee Hooker... Bibb learned about the disaster by listening to his Aunt Addie's account of this event. A hint to "Katrina" seems pretty clear.

"New Home" is happy, optimistic and cheerful with the singer quitting the low lands where water tastes like turpentine and heading for a place "where the water tastes like wine" (the latter line remembers me of the Canned Heat hit "Goin' Up the Country")..

The short, but impressive, instrumental "Train from Aberdeen" - which is one of the best tracks here - hints, of course, at Booker T. White's "Aberdeen Mississippi Blues". Aberdeen was the place where John Fahey and Bill Barth "rediscovered him", in 1962, by sending him a letter. Bibb uses a nine-string guitar on this track.

Women inhabit some of these songs, of course. In "Rocking Chair", one woman leaves home, seemingly for good, only to later return home unexpectedly, welcomed by her man who asks her no question. The inspiration for this track comes from a childhood memory. As Bibb was nine years old, he heard a man's transistor playing Fats Domino's "Walking to New Orleans".

The woman celebrated in "A Good Woman" (track #13) proves to be a real anchor to her man.

"Tell Riley" (track #14) evokes White's younger cousin Riley B.B. King who "might go a long way".

"A-Z blues" (track #15) is a lighter ditty that proves easy on the ears.

A link printed on the cover enables you to download two extra tracks, which is nice!

On "Worried Man Blues" is a tune that rolls an unfortunate away and presents it in a brighter day. Gary Compton harp and Paul Waller's lap-steel guitar really shine on this track.

Jim Shearer tuba work on the second bonus track, "Still Live On", is also memorable.

For the completist, an 11:19 bonus video capturing Eric Bibb while he tries out various 6-string guitars in a music shop can be downloaded from iTunes.

Bibb's guitar is fluid, melodic and introspective. His sweet, laid-back baritone glides effortlessly over the guitar lines. The feel of the music is relaxed, pastoral even. Eric Bibb has recorded an honest tribute to the music of his heroes. He keeps on expanding his acoustic blues and gospel roots with impressive results.

As usual with Telarc (now under Concord Music's ownership), the music is superbly recorded.

I own quite a few of Eric Bibb's albums but, in my opinion, this one might well be his finest yet. Every acoustic blues lover owes it to himself to, at least, attentively listen to it. Dig!

I have other eric bibbs albums and love his music. This is a great listen and not disappointing at all- its really chilled blues listening and not over produced, I saw him live and loved it as I am sometimes disappointed with over produced albums and prefer acoustic sets and not too much going on. Well this album is exactly that great fingerpicking, good melody and lyrics, and with Erics soulful voice it is a definate! the harmonica on it is awesome and when you play it loud its haunting a compliment to the music. Great Album and personally I like the tracks the latter end of the album so keep playing.

Eric Bibb is one truly wonderful blues artist,he has a simply superb voice,he is one of the finest acoustic guitarists around and in this release he has quite simply produced the best blues album of the year.If this does not win Grammies for best folk blues album I'll be amazed, also surely a Handy award for best acoustic blues release must also follow. This album has just Eric on guitar/vocals and on some tracks harmonica,recorded on location in Mississippi this is the real deal.Eric has recorded some exceptionally fine sets but this might just be the best yet.The opening 'Booker's Guitar' is a tribute to Booker White one of blues true legends,and even played on his original guitar. The rest of the tracks,most of which are Bibb originals with a couple of top class covers,develops the territory of the title track and lays before us a truly not to be missed set of quite exceptional songs that enjoy repeated playings.This is something that will surely push him into the blues legends class,a release that will still be played and admired twenty plus years from now.This is what folk blues is all about and played and sung with absolute conviction,skill and joy.Five stars is just not enough for a release of this wonderful quality.Please do get a copy and soak in every second of a truly remarkable and stunning release.