Eric Bibb & Needed Time - Good Stuff

Publisher: OPUS3 records

Playing time: 55 min

Specifications: half track ¼", stereo, RMG SM468, CCIR, 510 nWb/m, 38 cm/s

Reel(s):               2 standard metal reels, with stickers

Packaging:        2 standard cardboard boxes, with stickers

Inserts:                1 CD information sheet, 1 CD booklet with 8 pages

Homepage: https://sepeaaudio.com/

Translation of the German review:

The Opus3 label has an outstanding reputation on the world market. I think it's great that the catalog is available on tapes. For the entry into this world, I decided for "Eric Bibb & Needed Time with The Deacons - Good Stuff".

The fact that the two tape cartons are only minimally labeled and contain the SACD booklet as an insert plays a minor role for me. What counts here first and foremost is the recording and the sound. Opening the booklet, Eric Bibb writes on the first page, "To record an Opus3 album is to be in the light, alone or with brothers and sisters, with myself, my family, the world... the universe - to offer my best songs. It is a living snapshot, without adding or taking away anything after it happened. In short, this record is a collection of songs where each one is a concert. With gratitude and joy - Good Stuff. A love forever." Great words that now need to be verified by re-listening.

What is impressive is the calmness that the album emits. As a listener, I almost compulsively sit still and listen to what is happening in the songs. As a result, the songs become haunting and achieve an experiential presence. Listening is a journey into situations: Sometimes Eric Bibb plays the guitar alone to his vocals, then it's a selection of instruments from the musicians in his backing group, Needed Time. Eric Bibb is a master at celebrating minimal instrumental means with maximum effect. You can hear many different and even rare instruments, e.g., an accordion or a pedal organ, as well as special percussion and rhythm work. The gospel quartet "The Deacons" is fabulously placed. The sound comes from tape with a striking authenticity.

Eric Bibb was born on August 16, 1951, in New York, where he grew up in an environment influenced by folk music. His musical imprint of playing blues, folk, gospel, R&B and soul certainly stems from the musician friends of his father, folk singer Leon Bibb. Among them are Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Odetta or his uncle John Lewis. He learned to play the guitar since he was seven years old, and at 13 he added singing, double bass, concert guitar and piano at a high school. At 16, he was already accepted as a guitarist in his father's backing band. At the age of 19, Eric Bibb left for France and still lives mostly in Sweden, where he has been working as a music teacher since the mid-1980s. He recorded some of his albums, which are considered to be of high quality, on the independent label Opus3, including Good Stuff in 1997 with the participation of the band Needed Time.

In Stockholm you can find the independent record label Opus3 since the year 1976. Jan-Eric Persson, founder of the label, has dedicated his life to acoustic music. His recordings are accurate and focused on the naturalness of instruments and voices. The positioning of the microphones and the best possible musical communication between the musicians play a major role. The sound signal does not undergo any sound changes. Thus, when playing back the tape, one hears exactly the atmosphere as it existed at the time of recording. The detailed recording philosophy can be read on the Opus3 homepage: http://www.opus3records.com/.

It's a good thing that this album consists of two tapes with a running time of 55 minutes, otherwise the good stuff would be over much too quickly. Music on this extremely high level is rare. If you are into something special, you will hardly get around this tape.

I like to browse the homepage of SEPEA audio. There is always something to discover here. If you are looking for a reliable playback device for your valuable tapes, you will find it there as well: https://sepeaaudio.com/.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)