www.jonbibbs.com

Photograph by M. McMillan.

What is the measure of a man? How does one define it in the case of Richmond, Virginia multi-talented Jon Bibbs? Is it through his upbringing? What of one who was chosen during his toddler years to tenaciously grow into a consummate singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, family man, and community leader as Bibbs has? Reared by educated, religiously devout parents who loved him enough to adopt him and pray for his talent right from the start, Bibbs experienced early grace. To be carried and molded by good stock who had the discernment to follow ordered steps to the esteemed door of music teacher Susan Trotter at Virginia Commonwealth University who took a curiously patient three-year old Bibbs under her tutelage, training the prodigy under the Suzuki method before he’d fully even learned how to write his own name.

Maybe one measures the man by the discipline of a boy who practiced his Gladwell hours from VCU and Sixth Baptist Church right to the major stages of Richmond, sharing the spotlight with everyone from the Richmond Philharmonic to gospel superstars like The Winans before he’d even entered high school? Maybe it’s by the humility of one who’d played with marquee talent, but who still understood there was more to be learned by playing in his school choirs and bands, openly soaking in the lessons in tuba, trumpet, trombone, upright bass, French Horn, and, of course, piano from peers and elders alike right to the Historically Black institution, Hampton University, on a trombone scholarship. There the Hampton Man was further refined into the focused and dignified man of Southern gentility, measured strength, and quiet masculinity that displayed itself not through bravado and untilled hope, but through its talent, intellect, and works.

What is the measure of an artist? And, how does one measure the art of Jon Bibbs? Is it through influences as varied as saxophonist Lester Young, opera singer Maria Callas, and funky multi-instrumentalist native son Michael “D’Angelo” Archer for music touched by everything from gospel quartet to the classical? Is it through the telling generosity of a man whose first album, True Story in 2001, was not even for himself, but for the engineering studies of a producer friend?

Maybe one assesses an artist through the sheer volume of quality output with five well-received projects released over the last fourteen years, including Red in 2003, the critically acclaimed breakthrough album that is the internationally beloved Unbreakable in 2005, the adventurous and deeply personal heartbreak of the iTunes and Amazon charting Ode to Old Flames in 2012 (peak: #11 & #14 R&B, respectively), the traditionalism of American Songbook standards through the minimalist Jazz Variations Live from New York in 2013. Maybe its how a self-described torchbearer honors the past of the Black American Music tradition as the stylistic Bibbs did with sell-out, one-man Iconic Men of Soul tribute

shows to Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye? Perhaps its by the creatives who’ve shared studios or stages with Bibbs that honor his name with their tongues, stars like Ledisi, Roy Ayers, Chuck Brown, Snoop Dogg, John Legend, Wiz Khalifa, Melanie Fiona, Maimouna Youssef, Alison Carney, among others. Awards? How about SoulTracks Male Vocalist of the Year nominee in 2012? Stages? Bibbs has done everything from S.O.B.s in NYC to the Howard Theater in DC. Does one measure an artist by his creative and technical abilities as a quadruple threat: writer, producer, composer, and multi-instrumental musician who has innovative songs bridging country and soul like his forthcoming love letter to his wife, “Nobody Loves You More,” or a long proven ability to marry jazz and soul as with his new collaboration with Dwele on “Love In

Waiting?” Maybe its through his willingness to be vulnerable in an effort to take people on a journey through the continuum of Black American music as he did on his go-for-broke performance of Nina Simone’s, “I Put A Spell On You,” from Ode to Old Flames. By any of those measures, Bibbs is as accomplished an artist, as he is enviable a talent.   So, how does one measure a man, an artist, a leader, and human being like Jon Bibbs? According to the philosophies by which Bibbs has cultivated his many talents and callings, he believes by his fruits you will know him. Just watch and see what fruits Jon Bibbs bears. 

About Jon Bibbs

The critically acclaimed breakthrough album that is the internationally beloved Unbreakable in 2005, the adventurous and deeply personal heartbreak of the iTunes and Amazon charting Ode to Old Flames in 2012 (peak: #11 & #14 R&B, respectively) - both are available at iTunes and all major digital music services.

The traditionalism of American Songbook standards through the minimalist Jazz Variations Live from New York in 2013 is available exclusively for stream and/or download at JonBibbs.com

Jon’s innovative and soulful single, bridging country and soul textures in a love letter to his wife, “Nobody Loves You More” is also available at iTunes and all major digital music services.

Selected DiscographyAudio

You’ve Got Soul http://bibbs.li/29eGgUy

Feel Like I Do (Waterseed feat. Jon Bibbs)http://bibbs.li/11QaSP4

I Put a Spell on You http://bibbs.li/29fqd8k

Gonehttp://bibbs.li/29b63M2

I Choose Youhttp://bibbs.li/1gou1Pr

Video

A Change is Gonna Come (A Live Performance of Sam Cooke’s Classic) http://bibbs.li/1pauOLT

Something to Talk About(Music Video)http://bibbs.li/1Cmi215

Nobody Loves You More(Music Video)http://bibbs.li/1MiA3nf