Live at the Scala Theatre Stockholm

It wouldn’t be exaggerating to call singer/guitarist Eric Bibb, son of activist, actor and folk singer, Leon Bibb, now five decades into his own career, folk-blues royalty. Certainly, there’s a regal vibe to this smoothly assured live set recorded in front of an appreciative Scandinavian audience in 2023.

Bibb’s finger-picking is melodious and precise, and his voice is soft and inviting with comforting inflections that feel just right and even, at times, showcasing a hint of Taj Mahal’s soulful croon. He’s ably assisted by a large ensemble including long-time collaborator Glen Scott and a troupe of local musicians who do a bang-up job of evoking authentic Americana. On the footloose opener, ‘Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad’, Greger Andersson blows an old-timey harmonica while Johan Lindström teases gorgeous pedal steel swoops and Esbjörn Hazelius’ fiddle is a yearning sigh.

There are some grittier moments – ‘Sliver Spoon’ is a crawling autobiographical growl about being ‘born to sing the blues,’ and ‘Things is ’bout Comin’ My Way’ is a laconic variant on the classic ‘Sittin’ on Top of the World’, with the fiddle nodding towards Sugarcane Harris’ tart yowl – but, for the most part, it’s a warm bath for the ears.