DELTA SNAKE BLUES NEWS
"...bringing the thrill back to ascii"
Editor/Publisher: Al Handa
===============May 1996 Vol 3, No.3===================
snake@pumpkin.cdepot.net
VINYL JUDGEMENT
Classic Blues Reviews
THE PAUL deLAY BAND: "American Voodoo" (Criminal Records 1984)
Paul DeLay's one of those very well regarded, "musician's musician"
types. This Portland-based harp player has recorded some very well done
records, but fame has always eluded him. However, among harp afficiandos,
Paul is often mentioned, and his incredibly fluid chromatic work is nothing
short of genius. Paul strings together solos that would make you swear a
horn player was blowing away until you realize that it is unmistakably an
amplified harp.
Also, he has the gift of a gruff, '60s style STAX voice that sounds as black
as they come. Most singers can shout their way through an up tempo soul
number, Paul can sing a ballad the way Eddie Floyd used to.
The first time I saw him, it was at one of Tom Mazzolini's "Battle
of the Harp" festivals. The opening acts were Charlie Musselwhite and
Curtis Salgado, which made me wonderjust who this guy was who could be top
billing over those two. I saw his new "Teasin" record in the lobby,
and even bought oneof his T-Shirts, more because it had a cool design, and
it was the only one that was black. Otherwise, he was a complete mystery.
Paul walked on, and instead of the traditional briefcase for harps, he used
an "E.T." schoolboy lunch pail, and looked alot like Spanky, except
six feet tall. I was stunned. Was this guy a comedy act??? Paul pulled out
a chromatic, and the band swung into a breakneck swing boogie. He blew out
a complex string of notes, in a fluid flow I'd never heard in a chromatic
player before (except for maybe Magic Dick), and I realized this was no
ordinary chromatic player who tapes the button down and plays it like a
regular harp.
His Teasin' record didn't sell, unfortunately, but if you ever find
it, it's as good a set of rock and roll and swing blues as you'll
ever find. I imagine it sold well at the Harp Battle though.
Anerican Voodoo, which was a 1984 release, shows him in the Stax/blues
vein. It opens with "Mine All Mine," a blues shuffle that sounds
above average until Paul kicks in with a dynamic chromatic solo. It becomes
an exceptional shuffle at that point. A fast, Chuck Berry style "Harpoon
Man" follows, with even faster harp, and a chugging beat like "30
Days" or something. A solid ballad, "Get Yourself Another Fool"
follows, with a New Orleans stomper called "Heart Breaker" right
after. A hard edged Stax-style ballad, "Cry To Me," comes next,
and with the Booker T. organ touches, is superior listening. I'd love to
hear Paul sing an entire record of Eddie Floyd numbers sometime."Sho'
Miss You Baby" comes in next, and the side ends with"Don't Drink,"
a really fun Amos Milburn type swing boogie that sort of presages the "Teasin'"
release. Those who love old Milburn numbers will love this one.
"Signed, Sealed, and Delivered," opens the next side, and isn't
the old Motown classic, but a New Orleans style funk number. A medium tempo
blues rocker called, "Turn Your Lights Down Low," comes next,
and that leads to the unusual, but very inventive Zydeco-flavored rocker,
"Rode Myself Crazy." Great keyboard work supports a great chugging
harp line by DeLay.
"Comin' Down With The Blues," is next, a soul ballad with a fine
harp solo to open the arrangement, with high bent notes that impress. "Every
Night" takes the tempo into a swing feel, with a lot of call and response
vocals (something also that was explored in Teasin'), and then Paul
and the Band end the set with a great slow blues.
Paul's been out of the scene for some years due to some difficulties that
hampered his career, but I've heard that he's becoming active again. That's
good news, cause I think that if he keeps playing, you'll all eventually
get a chance to hear this artist who has a talent that needs to be heard
by all.
Delta Snake Blues
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