BROWN SUGAR BLUES BAND - PAUL DELAY - PORTLAND 1974 EP

$

57

THE BROWN SUGAR BLUES BAND, ON RECORDING ASSOCIATES (BS 742) 1974. I had to get this record up on Ebay, just a few days ago the legendary blues harpist, Paul Delay died at a Portland hospital of leukemia. He was 55. "He had been in and out of hospitals for 10 years" but no leukemia was detected until about 48 hours before he died, band member and bassist Jimmy Lloyd Rea of Baker City said." He was the best harmonica player in the blues world," Rea said. "His big body -- mind, heart and soul -- was in every note he ever played." DeLay was a lifelong Portlander. In the early 1970s, he and then-drummer Lloyd Jones and guitarist Jim Mesi formed an electric blues band called Brown Sugar and played the West Coast, laying a foundation for Portland's reputation as a blues city. I used to go see the band at a place called Springers Ballroom, this is where I first heard the expression, "BOOGIE" and boogie is what Brown Sugar did, they moved the whole place, you could not sit still, in fact you just had to hop and bounce around, they were by far the greatest blues band ever. Here's your chance to hear what they sounded like on this extremely rare record!!!!!

Paul Joseph deLay was born Jan. 31, 1952, in Portland, where he lived all his life. In the early 1970s, he, Mesi and then-drummer Lloyd Jones formed Brown Sugar and played to eager crowds up and down the West Coast -- and laid the foundation for Portland's reputation as one of the country's great blues towns. 

In 1976, deLay and Mesi formed the Paul deLay Blues Band, which toured hard for more than a decade in a couple of different lineups. The band recorded albums such as "Teasin' " and "American Voodoo" during occasional breaks from the road. But deLay's alcohol and cocaine problems worsened with the isolation and the itinerant lifestyle of touring. In January 1990, he was busted for cocaine trafficking and eventually served time in federal prison in Sheridan. 

Before serving that sentence, deLay cleaned up and for the first time started writing and recording his own music with his new band. He released two fine albums of original material, "Paulzilla" and "The Other One," which established his artistic bona fides like nothing in the previous two decades had. 

When deLay went into prison for 41 months, his band played on as the No Delay Band and was waiting for him when he got out. They went on to record such groundbreaking albums as "Ocean of Tears" and "Nice and Strong," while Evidence Records released his two post-bust albums as "Take it From the Turnaround" -- evidence that whoever said there are no second acts to American lives hadn't heard of Paul deLay.

A decade earlier, the blues just weren't cool. When deLay and guitarist Jim Mesi and then-drummer Lloyd Jones put Brown Sugar together, the rock 'n roll guys told them it wouldn't last six months. But Portland's blues scene has grown from zero to one of the most vibrant in the nation in the 20 years since.

Lloyd Jones and Mesi jammed with deLay, and they formed Brown Sugar. They practiced for months, and came down the chute as one of tightest bands this town had heard, and went on to become a regional legend.

Brown Sugar worked hard until the mid 1970's, breaking up, as many bands do, under the strain of living on the road. deLay left town for several months, touring with Sunnyland Slim and Hubert Sumlin.

1976 saw the formation of the DeLay band (1), with Mesi, Brown Sugar drummer Bob Lyons, and Fred Coyner on bass. That lineup eventually metamorphosed into the DeLay band (2): deLay on harmonica and vocals; Dave Stewart ­p; late of Cray's band ­p; keys and vocals; Jim Mesi, guitar; Don Campbell, bass and vocals; and Paul Jones on drums.

LLOYD JONES

Lloyd Jones is a consummate guitarist/singer/songwriter/arranger/performer/ bandleader. One of the most original artists on the modern day blues scene, Jones is, in the words of Blues Revue, "certainly worthy of greater recognition."

Jones got deep into the blues and was the leader of Portland's most popular blues bands, Brown Sugar, in the early 70's. "We got to work with touring musicians in those days, like Charlie Musselwhite, George "Harmonica" Smith, the Johnny Otis show, Big Mama Thornton and Big Walter Horton. That's how we learned, and that's really when I first picked up the guitar. A lot of times these people would stay at our homes and teach us music and history. Some of them have passed now, so I cherish those memories. S.P. Leary, who was in Muddy Waters band and was playing drums with Big Walter at the time, leaned over to me as he was leaving town and said, "Man, I'm getting old. You gotta keep it alive. It's a struggle sometimes, but if you love it, you keep on struggling."'

Through the years Jones would continue to hone his craft by performing with the likes of Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, B.B. King, Dr. John, John Hammond, Etta James, Junior Wells and Buddy Guy, and many more music legends.

JIM MESI

If you ask any blues player in Portland or Seattle which guitarist they would most like to have in their band, the name 'Jim Mesi' will inevitably appear near the top of the list. His compact stature and affinity for Italian suits make the onstage Mesi look like a character in a Martin Scorsese movie. Selecting from the dozens of guitars in his legendary collection, Mesi spins out solos that dizzy and delight the listener.

      Portland native Mesi got his start in Brown Sugar, one of the two leaders of Portland's thriving 1970's blues scene (the other was Sleazy Pieces). Brown Sugar was the springboard for the careers of vocalist and blues harp maestro Paul DeLay, guitarist/vocalist Lloyd Jones (the drummer then), and Mesi. When the group broke up in the 1980's, DeLay and Mesi continued as the Paul DeLay Band. Throughout the decade, the DeLay Band played to audiences of three hundred to five hundred people virtually every weekend.

A substantial addition to the Mesi reputation came during this period, when the Paul DeLay Band was opening a show for blues guitar legend B.B. King. Toward the end of their set, Mesi looked out at the audience and noticed an especially familiar face up front. It was B.B. King himself, smiling, holding his hands as if praying, and bowing toward Mesi. Word quickly spread around the Northwest that the DeLay Band had a guitar player personally blessed by the great B.B. King.

This is by a long shot, one of the greatest records ever, but that's just according to me, what do I know, I guess you'll just have to trust me.

On this great EP are: Paul Delay (Harp & Vocals) Lloyd Jones (Guitar, Slide Guitar & Vocals Jim Mesi (Guitar) Bob Lyon (Drums) Al Kuzens Bass and Rick Aldrich (Sax)

Side One: Lookin' For my Baby - I know My Baby Been Cheatin'

Side Two: Early One Morning - You Better Watch Yourself

The cover is in very good++ condition with just a very slight tear at the top and a few waves, the vinyl is just delicious, very good+++ looks like a new record, and sounded just great when I made a cdr of it just a few minutes ago, I can't stop movin'

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This is not a business, it is not a record store, even though I have far more rare records than any store could imagine, they are all mine, which I have collected since 1960, I collected records like some people collect baseball cards, but now find myself surrounded by thousands of records, and they must all go!!!!!
 
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Grading Definitions:

Mint (M): Absolutely perfect in every way - never played, possibly sealed. (Mint grading used sparingly if at all)
Near Mint (NM or M-): Near Mint is the highest grade listed in all Goldmine guides. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this, implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record shows no obvious signs of wear. Lp should look new, just purchased. No creases, folds, seam splits or visual defects.

Very Good Plus (VG +): Very Good Plus will show signs that it was played, and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show slight signs of wear and may have scuffs or light scratches that don't affect one's listening experience. (Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK) NOTE: None of my records are warped!!!!!

Very Good (VG): Many of the defects found in VG + will be more pronounced on a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during intros and fades, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches that will affect the sound. This is the lowest price grade used by Goldmine listings, no need to go any lower than Very Good (VG) I won't sell it if it's not at least Very Good!

Please remember, these are records and not cds, and even a mint copy of a record will have a minimal amount of surface noise, the more +++ after very good, the closer the record is to near mint, I don't think any record is mint unless it is still sealed, and even in that case, there are some manufacturers who have poor quality vinyl, I'll try to indicate this when I can, I won't try to rip you off, I will do my very best to give you an accurate description, and will do my very best to assist you in any way I can, I want you to have a pleasant experience and that is my main goal, so have fun, and please, ask me any questions you may have before you bid, I'll try to give you all the info I can! - THE DROOGSTER

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