"The Brown Sugar Band" (1976)
Paul deLay - Harmonica, Vocals
Jim Mesi - Guitar
Al Kuzen - Bass
Lloyd Jones - Drums, Vocals
"The Paul deLay Blues Band" (1980's)
Any combination of the following:
Paul deLay - Vocals, Harmonica
Jim Mesi, Peter Dammann - Guitar
DK Stewart, Dover Weinberg, Clair Bruce - Keyboards, Vocals
Don Campbell, Jimmy Lloyd Rea - Bass
Chris Mercer, Brad Ulrich, Joe McCarthy - Horns
"The Paul deLay Band" (1990's)
Paul deLay - Harmonica, Vocals
Peter Dammann - Guitar, Management
Louis Pain - Organ
Dan Fincher - Tenor Sax
John Mozzocco - Bass
Mike Klobas, Kelly Dunn - Drums
"The Paul deLay Band" (2002 to 2007)
Paul deLay - Harmonica, Vocals
David Vest - Keyboards, Vocals
Peter Dammann - Guitar, Management
David Kahl - Bass
Jeff Minnick, Kelly Dunn - Drums
When Paul left us, members of his band and family put together two different events dedicated to the memory of Paul. One was held at the Portland Art Museum on April 1st, 2007. The other was held at the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, OR on July 8th, 2007. Both events included all of the personnel listed above, and many more of the Northwest's favorite performers. Featuring: Bill Rhoades, Mark DuFresne, Curtis Salgado, Linda Hornbuckle, Liv Warfield, Hank Shreve, Jim Wallace, Carlos Colina, Harpdog Brown and many more. Thanks to all that helped make both events possible.
For originality in contemporary blues with a capital "o," one need look no further than West Coast harmonica stylist, singer and songwriter Paul DeLay. DeLay is the freshest songwriting voice to come onto the West Coast blues scene since Robert Cray rose to prominence in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1980s. Not surprisingly, he backs up his original songs with some very stylized chromatic harmonica playing that incorporates a sense of swing and jazz, largely based on the Chicago blues harp masters.
DeLay was born Jan. 31, 1952 in Portland, Oregon, but raised in the Ardenwald neighborhood of Milwaukee, in a musically inclined family. After hearing Paul Butterfield play "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," he became hooked on blues harmonica by age eight. He took his inspiration from Big Walter "Shakey" Horton and Little Walter Jacobs, and later, George "Harmonica" Smith and Charlie Musselwhite. DeLay took lessons on piano and tried to teach himself guitar and drums, but he found his true calling when he picked up the harmonica. He began playing along with records at first, and later formed a jug band in the 1960s.
DeLay led a band called Brown Sugar, which played in Portland, Oregon-area clubs for most of the 1970s, and then began leading a band under his own name in 1978. DeLay toured with Chicago piano player Sunnyland Slim and guitarist Hubert Sumlin for a few months that same year. When he got off the road, he concentrated his efforts on developing his own sound while leading his own band. He began writing his own songs in 1980, and by that point he was already a veteran of the bandstand. DeLay knew he didn't want to write standard blues songs, and to this day he avoids clichéd lyrical themes.
The Paul DeLay Band recorded four independent albums on their own label by 1988: Teasin', American Voodoo, The Paul DeLay Band and Burnin'. The band toured constantly, and DeLay's alcoholism turned into a major problem. When he finally quit drinking, he slowly began using cocaine instead, which he was busted for dealing. While spending three years in prison, DeLay wrote a huge number of original songs and put his boozing and cocaine-snorting habits behind him for good. When he came out of prison in 1995, DeLay made up for his lost time, and the results can be heard on several fine albums. Most notable are two recent albums for Evidence, Take It From the Turnaround (1996), an album that combines two independent releases he recorded locally in Portland for Criminal Records, and his more recent Ocean of Tears (1997). Both albums are fine examples of DeLay's unique gift for telling a story and his natural sense of humor and wittiness, as well as great singing and harmonica playing. Both also showcase excellent backing bands. That's why DeLay's reputation has spread out from his home base in Oregon to envelop the rest of the country, as well as parts of Canada and Europe.
Paul deLay was, without a doubt, one of the greatest harmonica players, singers, and songwriters in the northwest, maybe even the world. His memory will never leave us. Rest peacefully, Big Bubba! You will never be forgotten. Thank you so much for being a wonderful inspiration to us all.
A Celtic song written by French folk star Gilles Servat has been given an African makeover to benefit two worthy charities. “Le Pays” (This Land), written by Servat and Irish musical wizard Donal Lunny, speaks of the loneliness and isolation of migrant workers.
French interpreter and musician Phil Muriel translated the song into English, relating it to the heart wrenching experiences of asylum seekers who have fled persecution and torture only to face destitution and endless waiting for others to decide on their future in this country. Now Phil has recorded the song with the help of African drummers, giving it a completely different style and aiming to benefit two charities through record sales.
Phil declares: “I have the greatest admiration for the counsellors and volunteers from “The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture” and “Justice First” who give of themselves, open their hearts and often, their homes, to help torture victims and asylum seekers; I want to do something to support their work”. Gilles Servat kindly gave his permission to translate his song, stating “I would like to express my admiration for the help you give to uprooted individuals who, unlike us, do not have the opportunity to return home. To buy the CD, please send cheque (£2.00 + 70pence postage) to:
Here's a little thing I wrote for ya for your Blues Hall Of Fame pages.
Miss you bad man.
I was on a best friends level with Paul DeLay for over 40 years. We played together every chance we got. His big body , heart , and soul were in every note he played. He heard musical "things" the rest of us never could, and used them in his unique and individual style , but loved the Blues and stayed close to the Blues genre that he loved so deeply. Paul DeLay was, without any doubts or questions, the best Blues Harmonica player the good Lord has yet to produce. Enough said. Jimmy Lloyd Rea 10/27/09
Hey……… Thanks for being our friend over the years…... We're about to release in a few weeks our new 5th CD….”SIGNS” Have a preview listen and a look at our new myspace face lift for the promo for it..... The Streamliners sending you some good vibes for 2009.
Hi there Paul!
Just popped by to say thank you for being my friend. I appreciate your friendship greatly and wish you all the best! Have a great week and feel free to drop by any time.....much respect...Mojo!
PS. Do you know any good promoters abroad that we could get in touch with my friend!
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