The transcontinental soul/blues duo of Pittsburgh's Billy Price and France's Fred Chapellier took their show on the road (in Europe) to support the release of the duo's Night Work debut. The results are contained on this CD/DVD package, a logical and energetic follow-up to the studio recording that reprises some – but not all – of those tunes, adds logical covers, and generally ratchets up the sparks, as live albums typically do. The 11-song audio CD runs about half the time of the far more extensive two-hour DVD, but both nail the vibe of shows that featured tough, resilient backing musicians augmented by two horn players.
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.
Billy Price's first studio recording since 2009 featuring Billy and the Billy Price Band along with special guests Monster Mike Welch, Fred Chapellier, and Mark Wenner and Mark Stutso of the Nighthawks. Billy Price, east coast blue-eyed soul man, has been entertaining audiences for the past four decades. In his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa., he is an institution. Price's popularity isn't hard to explain. As Geoffrey Himes of the Washington Post has written, "Unlike so many blues revivalists, Price is not an imitation of older, better singers–he's the real thing."
When one of the top French guitar players meets a great voice from Louisiana! When Fred Chapellier listened to the voice of Dale Blade, a native of New orleans who grew up listening to Professor Longhair and Fats Domino in the clubs on Bourbon street, he knew immediately he had found the one that could finally allow him to focus totally on what he prefers : to play the guitar and compose without limitations because Dale can sing everything!
If you can imagine a band whose members have performed with blues legends including Luther Allison, Popa Chubby, Jimmy Dawkins, Chuck Berry, Lucky Peterson, Billy Price , Otis Clay, Paul Personne, Hubert Sumlin, Johnny Copeland , Guy Davis, Rod Piazza, and many, many others… The B.T.C Blues Revue is that explosive combination of musicians from the U.S.A and France. The group is fronted by three great Dixiefrog Records Artists : Neal Black (from Texas) , Nico Wayne Toussaint and Fred Chapellier ( from France), and backed by an All Star Band including Mike Lattrell ( from New York ) as well as Christophe Garreau and Vincent Daune (from France).
Chapellier’s own tribute to the legendary Fleetwood Mac guitar player (BB King used to say that he gave him chills) concentrated on his 1967-1970 period. Fred brings his own personal touch to the master works, staying as close as possible to the sound of the times and to the spirit of the original versions. Total success! Fred Chapellier has been playing music for more than 20 years and has now joined the ranks of the top French blues rock guitarists. Semi-finalist at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis (the largest gathering of blues musicians in the world) he has toured with some of the best French vocalists and many american artists as Tom Principato or Billy Price. He has recorded eight solo albums and contributed to innumerable discs by some of the best artists in the field.
This album confirms the talent of a leading blues songwriter. Sometimes the Truth is a milestone in the career of this San Antonio, Texas, singer/guitarist. Part of this set was recorded in the New York studio of Neal's good friend Popa Chubby (who makes noted vocal appearances on three tracks and plays guitar on five), while the rest was cut in Europe with a little help from noted Frenchies Nico "Wayne" Toussaint and Fred Chapellier.
NEAL BLACK, Texas Blues Rock, Roots Musician, has spent the last 25 years electrifying audiences around the World with his fusion of Blues, Rock, Roots Music. Referred to by one critic as "THE MASTER OF HIGH VOLTAGE TEXAS BOOGIE". His albums have received 4**** reviews from Rolling Stone Music Critics as well as reaching the Number One position on European Radio Charts. As a guitarist Neal Black's credits include performances on stage or in the studio with Blues/Rock legends: Chuck Berry, Popa Chubby, Jimmy Dawkins, Larry Garner, Lucky Peterson, Johnnie Johnson, The Chambers Brothers, Papa John Creach, Elliott Murphy, Johnny Copeland, Jimmy Vivino, Michael Meritt…
NEAL BLACK, Texas Blues Rock, Roots Musician, has spent the last 25 years electrifying audiences around the World with his fusion of Blues, Rock, Roots Music. Referred to by one critic as "THE MASTER OF HIGH VOLTAGE TEXAS BOOGIE". His albums have received 4**** reviews from Rolling Stone Music Critics as well as reaching the Number One position on European Radio Charts. As a guitarist Neal Black's credits include performances on stage or in the studio with Blues/Rock legends: Chuck Berry, Popa Chubby, Jimmy Dawkins, Larry Garner, Lucky Peterson, Johnnie Johnson, The Chambers Brothers, Papa John Creach, Elliott Murphy, Johnny Copeland, Jimmy Vivino, Michael Meritt…
NEAL BLACK, Texas Blues Rock, Roots Musician, has spent the last 25 years electrifying audiences around the World with his fusion of Blues, Rock, Roots Music. Referred to by one critic as "THE MASTER OF HIGH VOLTAGE TEXAS BOOGIE". His albums have received 4**** reviews from Rolling Stone Music Critics as well as reaching the Number One position on European Radio Charts. As a guitarist Neal Black's credits include performances on stage or in the studio with Blues/Rock legends: Chuck Berry, Popa Chubby, Jimmy Dawkins, Larry Garner, Lucky Peterson, Johnnie Johnson, The Chambers Brothers, Papa John Creach, Elliott Murphy, Johnny Copeland, Jimmy Vivino, Michael Meritt…