It's hard not to see fate at work somewhere in the collaboration of bluesmen Aaron Moreland and Dustin Arbuckle.
Guitarist Moreland and vocalist/harpist Arbuckle first ran into each other in 2001 at an open-mike night in Wichita, Kan., but that first meeting was far from auspicious.
Despite encountering one of the few musicians who shared his reverence for traditional blues, Moreland, who was drinking heavily at the time, said he barely remembers meeting his future partner. But when the two reconvened a year later, they realized theirs was a born collaboration, Moreland said.
"It was like, 'Wow, this is pretty effortless and cool. This is definitely going to be the best thing I've ever done musically,' " he said. "That was instantaneous."
It was a lucky realization, he added.
"There are millions and millions of wonderful musicians who can't find the right guy to play with," he said. "I think that's a huge part of success for any musician who does styles of music that are off the beaten path."
Since then, they've added drummer Brad Horner to the lineup. Tonight, all three will bring their gritty, up-tempo take on blues music, old and new, to the stage at Miller Plaza as this week's Nightfall headliner.
At 35 and 28, respectively, Moreland and Arbuckle are hardly old enough to be among the native performers of Delta-style blues. Onstage, with custom four-string cigar-box guitar and amped harp sliding and whining through rocking blues numbers, it's hard to tell the difference, even if theirs has a faster pace than Robert Johnson and company.
With eight years behind them and the drinking problem licked, the songwriting and the performing are tighter than ever, Moreland said.
"We're not adding instrumentation or anything, but we're definitely evolving our style and our sound and our show, our presentation. Everything continues to grow."
IF YOU GO
* What: Nightfall Concert Series, featuring Moreland & Arbuckle.
* When: 8 tonight. Roughwork opens at 7 p.m.
* Where: Miller Plaza, corner of M.L. King Boulevard, Market and Cherry streets.
* Admission: Free.
* Phone: 265-0771.
* Venue website: www.nightfallchattanooga.com.
* Related links at fyi.timesfreepress.com.
ABOUT THE OPENER
Roughwork is a local four-piece band whose music blends hard rock, funk, blues and a smattering of jazz. For more information, visit www.roughwork.net.
DISCOGRAPHY
2005: "Caney Valley Blues"
2006: "Floyd's Market"
2008: "1861"
2010: "Flood"