NIght Work

The partnership of veteran U.S. soul singer Billy Price and French blues guitarist Fred Chapellier might seem like an unlikely pairing, but the results -- chronicled in the song "Champagne Blues and Pittsburgh Soul" -- are an impressive, occasionally explosive meeting of the minds. Price with his strong tenor voice, similar to Robert Cray's at times, first found popular acclaim as Roy Buchanan's singer for a short while back in the mid-'70s. While guitarist Chapellier isn't in Buchanan's league, his deft touch and alternately snaking/scorching leads fit well with this set of predominantly original R&B. The guitarist gets his own showcase on the closing jam of "Skunk Shuffle" but it's on the rest of the album, dominated by tight arrangements, terrific soul-blues songs, and crisp but never forced production, that his playing makes the most impact. A three-piece horn section is along for additional punch, bringing an old-school yet never musty vibe to the peppy proceedings. The Nighthawks' frontman Mark Wenner brings his always incisive harp playing to three tracks, and Otis Clay swings by to sing lead on a spirited but somewhat unnecessary cover of Al Green's "Love and Happiness" that sticks pretty close to the original. Price and Chapellier hit their stride on the swampy grind of "Night Work," an autobiographical tune about the life of a working blues musician that manages to avoid the cliches of that shopworn topic. The midtempo "When the Lights Come On" sizzles with a memorable melody, committed singing, snappy horns, and piercing guitar work that displays Chapellier's tough chops while still servicing the song. Like Cray, Price and Chapellier are clearly inspired by the great, rather unsung soul-bluesman O.V. Wright, as they make clear on the song that bears his name and the following "All the Love in the World," which borrows from Wright's gospel influences. Price and Chapellier feed off each other's strengths throughout, yielding one of the finest -- and unfortunately most overlooked -- contemporary roots R&B albums of 2009. Hopefully they will continue their collaboration, because this is a mighty impressive start. ~ Hal Horowitz|