Trending
One of the finest exponents of acoustic blues performing today, Eric Bibb recently released an exceptional album dedicated to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Focusing on African-American history, from slavery to emancipation and the hardships of sharecropping to the civil rights struggle, “Blues People” has been widely praised.
The Seattle Post Intelligencer raved, ” ‘Blues People’ is an extraordinary musical documentary. Bibb is masterful at promoting social justice without being too preachy, at providing moments of exhilaration as well as contemplation and deep emotion with fine musicianship and finesse.”
American Blues Scene noted,
” ‘Blues People’ is a remarkable work of art.” And Acoustic Music praised, “The CD stands with the best of Joni Mitchell, Taj Mahal, Judy Collins, Nick Drake and Marvin Gaye at his best.”
The Grammy-nominated artist says he felt moved to create this powerful work after reading a seminal study of Afro-American music and culture.
“The original inspiration for ‘Blues People’ came from the book of the same title by Amiri Baraka, who published it as LeRoi Jones,” Bibb explains. “I wanted the material to reflect the collective journey of African-Americans as well as my own story. The album is also a tribute to the ever-expanding tribe of blues troubadours that includes the friends who are featured guests.”
Those special guests include blues master Mahal, gospel legends the Blind Boys of Alabama and guitarist Popa Chubby, whose sizzling playing powers the opening track, “Silver Spoon.”
Brimming with memorable songs that range from somber to hopeful in tone, the classic soul sounding “God’s Mojo” reflects the spirit of Gaye and Curtis Mayfield’s work, while joyous, gospel-infused numbers like “I Heard the Angels Singin’ ” are uplifted by the righteous vocals of the Blind Boys of Alabama.
“Meeting and working with the Blind Boys of Alabama was an honor and a pleasure,” Bibb says. “Learning from my elders by sharing a stage or a recording session is one of the great blessings of my career.”
On the jubilant “Home,” he teams with South African singer Andre De Lang.
As for Mahal’s contribution, the blues legend injects his magic on vocals and banjo to the traditional song “Needed Time.” The two share a long history, including performing together at the Glastonbury Festival in 1998.
“Taj is like a big brother to me, both a friend and a mentor,” he says. “His influence on me has been huge. I leap at every opportunity that presents itself to pick and sing together.”
The emotional centerpiece of the album, the chilling “Rosewood,” depicts a horrific time in 1920s Florida, known as the Rosewood massacre, when an entire African-American community was burned to the ground by a white mob. No arrests were made after the attack, which killed six residents, and the town was abandoned with none ever returning.
“The Rosewood saga is, for me, a painful reminder of the racism that still affects the everyday life of Americans today,” Bibb explains. “Performing the song the first time was emotionally challenging.”
The nephew of jazz pianist John Lewis and son of folk singer Leon Bibb, the aspiring blues artist grew up in the fertile ground of New York in the ’60s surrounded by musical legends including Pete Seeger, Odetta, Richie Havens and Bob Dylan.
“Both my parents as well as members of my extended family are responsible for exposing me to all kinds of good music,” he recalls. “While I have personally built my own musical house on the bedrock of African-American folk music, I have always been eager to have my songs reflect a broad musical palette.”
After leaving college to pursue music as a career, Bibb moved to Paris, and then on to Stockholm, where he found a folk scene reminiscent of Greenwich Village.
“Both Paris and later Stockholm gave me an opportunity to both meet musicians from all over the world as well as make me aware of the huge impact African-American music – blues, jazz and gospel – has had on the rest of the world,” he says.
In recent years, he’s released a number of memorable albums including collaborations with Mali’s Habib Koite, and a marvelous teaming with singers Rory Block and Maria Muldaur.
“My collaboration with Habib Koite is ongoing,” Bibb explains. “We met and became friends
during a shared tour to promote the Putumayo release ‘From Mali to Memphis’ years ago. We’ve stayed in touch and we are able to celebrate our mutual admiration on the album ‘Brothers in Bamako,’ recorded in Habib’s hometown in Mali.”
On his “Sisters and Brothers” album with Muldaur and Block, he served up some jubilant, gospel-flavored, folk-blues-covering classics like Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody” and Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me.”
“The ‘Sisters and Brothers’ project was inspired by our common love of American folk music,” Bibb says. “The original idea for the album came from Maria, who shared it with me after a show of mine in Seattle years ago. Recording together some of our favorite old songs as well as new ones was a delightful experience.”
For his Maui debut, Bibb will be accompanied by Canadian multi-instrumentalist Michael Jerome Browne, who played on “Blues People” and Bibb’s earlier, Louisiana-inspired album, “Deeper in the Well.”
“It will be the first trip to the island for both of us,” he notes. “Playing blues, I love being part of an ongoing tradition and being able to contribute new songs to this time-honored idiom.”
***
Taking their name from the eighth stanza of Wallace Stevens’ 1917 poem “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird,” eighth blackbird is an award-winning contemporary chamber music sextet based in Chicago.
Describing themselves as, “combining the finesse of a string quartet, the energy of a rock band and the audacity of a storefront theater company,” they are active in commissioning new works from composers in both the contemporary classical and indie rock scenes including Steve Reich, The National’s Bryce Dessner and Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry.
Their 2012 album, “Meanwhile,” won a Grammy, and in 2008, the ensemble won two Grammy Awards for their recording “Strange Imaginary Animals.”
The Washington Post praised the widely lauded group, saying, “When new music sounds this good, who needs Mozart and Brahms?” A San Francisco Chronicle review exclaimed, “Is there an ensemble anywhere that conveys the sheer exuberance and joy of contemporary music like eighth blackbird?” And Cincinnati.com noted, “The sextet is simply the most exciting force for new music on the concert stage today.”
* eighth blackbird will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Castle Theater. Tickets are $12, $30, and $40 and are available at the MACC box office, by calling 242-7469 or by visiting www.mauiarts.org.
***
The David Nelson Band returns to our island as part of its annual Hawaii tour playing three shows. A longtime Jerry Garcia collaborator and founding member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage, Nelson and his band released “Once in a Blue Moon” last year celebrating their 20th anniversary.
* They will play at 6 p.m. Friday at Hale Holani in Hana. Tickets are $30 in advance, available from the I Love Hana Art Boutique, and $35 at the door. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the group will perform at Ahimsa Sanctuary Farms, 4505 Hana Highway in Haiku. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. And at 5 p.m. Sunday, they will perform a benefit for Mana’o Radio at the Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapu. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Tickets for the Saturday and Sunday shows are available from the plantation and the Wine Corner and Da Vine Art in Paia.
***
Performing as the duo Magical Strings, Philip and Pam Boulding specialize in Celtic music, playing Celtic harps and hammered dulcimers, plus tin whistle and button accordion.
Inspired by the music of Keola Beamer, Philip Boulding developed a style of slack-key music for the Celtic harp, which later developed into a collaboration with Beamer on their recording “Islands Calling.”
* Magical Strings will perform at 7 p.m. Friday at the Makawao Union Church. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Philip Boulding will present a harp workshop “From Ireland to Hawaiian Slack-Key!” from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. For workshop location and concert information, call 878-6958.