Music review: Eric Bibb at Berea College

Eric Bibb at Phelps-Stokes Auditorium of Berea College in Berea: “We’re all cousins,” Eric Bibb stated as his electric roots-fest of a performance headed into the home stretch. The remark was a soft-spoken observation by the blues-directed stylist that served as a unifying link between two songs of severe extremes. The first was 2014’s stark Rosewood, which depicted racism caustic enough to be “buried in the ashes of history.” The second was the jovial New Home, a 2010 tune that utilized the jubilee spirit and acoustic groove potential of Bibb’s percussion-less band.

Such emotive disparity was also a key to the breadth of Bibb’s music. But just as familial in feel, yet more contrasting to the ear, were the musical accents the singer and guitarist employed during the two-set, two-hour performance, all of which he drew upon for a surprisingly cohesive sound.

Though largely promoted as a blues troubadour, the concert regularly drew on Cajun inspiration (Turner Station and an especially ominous reading of Stewball), worldbeat texture (the West African vibe of Silver Spoon, which recalled the final albums of Malian journeyman Ali Farka Toure) and gospel-esque fervor (the show-closing tent revival verve of Don’t Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down).

Bibb was ably assisted in designing the performance’s wide but complimentary musical makeup. Harmonica ace Grant Dermody was a schooled disciple in the country blues playing of Sonny Terry while Cedric Watson remained at the helm of the concert’s many Creole turns. Best of all was the addition of Americana scholar Dirk Powell, whose playing on banjo, accordion and mandolin cemented not only the program’s fearless and worldly reach but also its steadfast familial theme (Powell’s father was a Berea College graduate).

As such, Bibb surrendered quite a bit of stage time by to his bandmates, but remained very much in charge of this efficiently run roots music troupe, from the subtle folk/blues urgency of Needed Time to an elemental take of Nobody’s Fault But Mine (where the smooth, conversational tone of his singing was accompanied only by Dermody’s harp lead and hand claps) to the slower but very purposeful blues grind of Goin’ Down Slow. All proved cordial cousins within Bibb’s hearty musical brotherhood.

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Music review: Eric Bibb at Berea College."