Rich Price and RGB, Canal Room, 9.19.07

By Charlotte Deaver

True, this collection of singer-songwriters is performing as a trio. True, each band-member crafts songs that, in the tradition of Crosby, Stills and Nash and Van Morrison, are catchy and singable, but intricate enough to keep the listener's ears perked for the next unexpected turn. And true, while each individual voice is gorgeous and distinctive, as a group their most magical - and musical - moments occur when they sing together; These guys actually listen to and hear each other.

As a group, I think that's what I enjoyed most about their collective performance. They share the participatory experience they're having on stage with the audience by virtue of the way they relate musically on stage, more so than in terms of direct verbal address to the crowd or to each other. I can imagine that three different song-writers who perform together might encounter a bump or two along the way; Three egos, three singers, three styles, but similar genres, genders, instruments, and audiences, now sharing the stage and spotlight (a little arm-wrestling, anyone?). But RGB (Rich Price, Greg Naughton, and Brian Chartrand) balances their act with only a little bit of locker-room jesting, each taking a song, a lead vocal, a solo fairly, respectfully.

What drew me to the show was not, however, this deliberately equal distribution of talent. After hearing a song featured on the credits of the movie I'm Reed Fish, I downloaded several songs by the "R" in RGB, Rich Price, and was immediately hooked. First of all, his voice has a texture, range, and tonality that I love -- just a little airy but also really full, with real respect for melody. And secondly, the songs are simple but lovely. There is a lilting ease to them that aids a visceral response, while the lyrics are also thoughtfully constructed.

I've "spun" his latest CD, All These Roads, non-stop since I picked it up at the show, and the production (by Andy Zulla) and instrumentation on All These Roads are perfect. It definitely deserves much wider attention and listeners than I believe it has now. But I'm not convinced this RGB collaboration is the best way to promote it, if such is the case. I'd love to see him with his own band and tour as a solo act, and if my antenna is a good as I think it is, I bet I will soon.

Courtside with Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer: U.S. Open, September 4th, 2007

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Rafael Nadal was good -- fun to watch -- but David Ferrer was on fire last night. He controlled just about every point, whether he was serving or not, just slamming the ball so hard, catching it on the rise and driving it exactly where he wanted.

Nadal was forced into mere defensive play, standing way too far back, and unsteady when he approached the line (the back line, by the way -- not the net! That either player rarely ever did). In the third and fourth sets, Nadal would look up to the stands and his coaching box (which I was sitting right next to) with the saddest, most endearing face, like he was praying for rain in a dustbowl. But Ferrer was playing too well, and Nadal was playing like an underdog. And, of course, I always root for the underdog.