If the concept of a Sweden-born roots music artist seems like an oxymoron, Anders Osborne dispelled that notion in quick order during his Jan. 22 appearance at the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton.
The singer, guitarist, harmonica player and songwriter appeared solo to a capacity crowd for the second consecutive night at the venue, and displayed the elements of blues, R&B and Americana inherent in his longtime association with, and residence in, New Orleans. After fashionably late Boca arrivals caused his start time to be pushed back a half-hour, Osborne strode onto the stage and delivered nearly two hours of every roots music offshoot and beyond.
“If you were here last night, I won’t play any of the same songs,” he said before opening with “Different Drum,” the energetic opening track from his 2016 recording Flower Box. From the downbeat, Osborne’s tenor-to-alto vocal phrasing belied his baritone speaking voice, and his acoustic rhythm guitar strumming and travelogue lyrics set one of multiple tones for the evening. Another was set by the subsequent ballad “Fields of Honey,” from the 2019 release Buddha & the Blues, featuring his impressive vocal and finger-picked guitar dynamics.
Anyone who listens to South Florida radio programming is unlikely to have heard any of Osborne’s material amid its sea of talk radio, hip-hop, country, and predictable classic rock. Yet for the second straight night, a full crowd sang along and coaxed Osborne into his stand-up comedy routine between songs. And his performance got even stronger as the evening wore on, likely because of the support he was receiving.
”Here’s a new song from ‘Orpheus and the Mermaids,’” he said of “Welcome To Earth,” from his 2021 release, “and I’ll play a guitar line that I want you to sing.” What seemed like a far-fetched idea actually worked, further animating the 55-year-old as the audience accurately mimicked the additional melody line of what was originally a full-band song. Further relaxed and comfortable, Osborne then delivered an impassioned vocal rendition of “My Son,” the ballad from his 2013 recording, Peace.
“I might try open tuning here,” Osborne said to introduce another highlight. “I wrote this song with Paul Barrere of Little Feat, and I might even play a Little Feat tune a bit later.”
“Black Tar,” the co-composition with that California band’s late singer, guitarist and songwriter, brought the alternately-tuned blues from the 2012 Black Eye Galaxy album. And Osborne did indeed pay further homage a few tunes later, as Little Feat’s “Sailin’ Shoes” got a spacious, relaxed, crowd-pleasing sing-along delivery. The Flower Box cut “Fools Gold,” and “Tracking My Roots” (Black Eye Galaxy) then each brought reggae undertones and further impressive vocal performances.
“Are we ready for ‘‘Summertime?’” Osborne asked about the 2002 Bury the Hatchet track “Summertime in New Orleans,” already knowing the answer after multiple audience requests. His lush, languid delivery didn’t disappoint, and neither did his raucous closer “Back On Dumaine,” a crowd favorite since its appearance on his 2006 recording Live at Tipitina’s.
The encores were “Rainbows,” the lyrical, fishing-themed closing track from Orpheus and the Mermaids, and a dramatic cover tune. On Bob Dylan’s “One More Cup of Coffee,” Osborne’s voice soared, and his arrangement included a dynamic, bolero-inspired rhythmic strum.
Osborne’s performance was a raw, stripped-down contrast to his own electric guitar-driven full band efforts, plus his collaborations with the likes of Barrere, Phil Lesh, Keb’ Mo’, Luther Dickinson, and Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. In this setting, his wide vocal range, sense of humor, and rhythmic sensibilities seemed pleasant surprises to the crowd, the interaction with which energized the versatile artist, who was visibly happy to be on the road again after too long of a COVID-19 interruption.
Another pleasant surprise is that in South Florida — which has seemingly become the land of solo guitarists singing and playing with backing tracks, plus incessant tribute bands and other cover acts — a singing musician like Osborne, accompanied by only his acoustic guitar and harmonica, could sell out two nights while playing almost exclusively original material.