Billy Price featuring The Billy Price Band Random Madness
This showcase opens with a jazzy samba groove on “I Was A Fool.” It’s sung well, but Mr. Price doesn’t have a heavily rooted distinctive voice – he does have presence & gets the song across impressively with skill. As always, he has a tight band & excellent backup.
11 jazz-tinted tunes occupy space on Random Madness (Dropped May 1/GetHip Recordings/47:32) produced by Tony Braunagel (drums) in Pittsburgh, PA. Some tunes dip gently into novelty, but the arrangements & horns always sparkle. This allows even that type of tune to be listenable. Price sings with good intonation, phrasing & is familiar with the genre no doubt. “Hungry Ghost” is a wonderfully savored melody with horn accentuation, a deep bass line & underlying guitar wrapped up in a good groove. Their main attraction throughout.
The horns aren’t Chicago-thick, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Tower of Power or The Meters – they’re actually characteristic of The Ides of March (“Vehicle”) & the Average White Band with refined accentuations that don’t upstage the arrangement. “I Said What I Said” is funky in a Sly & the Family Stone manner. Billy Price’s musicians are capable of laying down varied moods, atmospheres & soundscapes. Even though the balladry is warm & well-played, Billy’s voice is not Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett or even Jack Jones.
“Curiosity” is a good melody, but it’s flat. Voice, horns, voice, horns & words emphasized that don’t add anything to the song’s lyrics. The sax & trumpet solos are bright & save the day. “Rent Free” is superb. Billy applies his vocal skills appropriately here & the trumpet take is growly & beautiful – almost like the trumpet is a duet partner. The whole band fires on all cylinders. This has a radiance. Several songs do have a retro feel – “Creature of Habit” is like Cab Calloway crossed with brothers Bob & Ray Eberle. Nicely done.
Some of the original lyrics are clever, some are well applied & others are cringeworthy (“Exit Strategy”). Forced rhymes, awkward words, & aimless. However, Price, a professional for sure, always knows how to reset. “Dirty Knee Revelation” is wonderfully soulful. Something the English band Mark-Almond would’ve done. The horns are fanciful, smooth & breezy. Price sings this song & “Random Madness” expressively. This is a well-constructed album & the blemishes – they hardly matter.
Highlights – “I Was A Fool,” “Hungry Ghost,” “I Said What I Said,” “Rent Free,” “Creature of Habit,” “Dirty Knee Revelation” & “Random Madness.”
Musicians – Tom Valentine (bass), Steve Delach & Ian Arthurs (guitars), Jim Britton (keys), Dave Dodd (add’l drums), Delana Flowers, Willa Katy Cotton, Carmen Miller (bgv), Eric Spaulding (tenor & baritone saxes), Joe Herndon & Sean Jones (trumpets), Reggie Watkins (trombone) & Lenny Castro (percussion).
Color image courtesy of David Aschkenas. CD @ https://www.billyprice.com/