An Amazing Band

Yesterday I recieved a real treat in the mail from Paul DeLong one of our members. He had sent this Tony Williams video and and a boot cd. Those two things were great and I have'nt finished watching the video yet. But for me the real treat was a copy of his bands CD. The band is called "The Code" and the name of the disc is Figli di Baia. I put this thing in the cd player in my office and almost fell out of my chair from the first track. The entire band just grooves so hard and tight that I could not concentrate on anything else but these guys. Paul playing is simply outstanding! He has a great mastery of pocket and musicality and his treatment of odd meters is really refreshing. Oh did I mention that this cat has chops that won't stop! He is also a very dynamic player. He can switch from the lightest touch to some really blistering power grooves. Every musician in the band is truly phenomenal. I have to tell you that the guitarist is a joy to listen to. The production quality on Pauls kit is also exemplary. I just wanted to recognize this really talented member of HOD. Paul, you ROCK!. I hope that he will post some of his music here so that the rest of you guys can check him out. "Keep It In The Pocket". PT.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 17, 2004 01:18 PM: Message edited by: Pocketime ]</font>

Ya Paul owns and he's a super nice guy too. You should throw some mp3's on here Paul [img]smile.gif[/img]

Wow, didn't know Paul DeLong was an HOD member too. Pleased to have you here.

Could this board be the one with the highest percentage of top pros hanging??

I got Figli di Baia and it's hot!!

I saw Paul play a couple of times, he's a super musician. Got the latin stuff down big time!!

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 17, 2004 03:44 PM: Message edited by: Tombo 7/4 ]</font>

It's long been my understandg that PDL's been a much sought after CAN session & tourg ace...

My first exposure to him was in the 80's [img]redface.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img] on USA AOR commercial radio - Canadian Kim Mitchell's tunes "[Go for a] Soda" & "All We Are." I instantly wanted to know who the drumr was.

Then, I saw the VHS "PDL & R Gratton @ PIT, LA, CA" in a music store, & bought it.
Been impressed ever since.

I played at the Ottawa Super Ex[po] in summer of '95, & to my delight Mitchell was schedld to perf there. I was expecting to see PDL, but it was Randy Cooke instead...another fine CAN drumr.

I didnt know PDL was "lurkg" around here either! [img]cool.gif[/img]

I need to find this CD here in the States.

Here's to all the "unsung" [img]wink.gif[/img] CAN drumrs...[youre included, Tombo!] [img]wink.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 17, 2004 02:44 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>

Wow Paul a HODer??? What Screen name does he go under?? That's good to know. John Pelosi their down-to-earth leader is a very good accomplished guitar player and composer with a Scott Henderson influence (he happens to live in my town). Pat Kilbride on bass (who's also Vito Rezza's bass player) is phenomenal as well. The whole band kills for sure. They were supposed to release a new CD recently but apparently Richard Evans, their keyboard player, has moved to NY.

Check out their Site: http://www.thecodesite.com

Paul Delong has made a name for himself playing with Kim Mitchell, various Fusion gigs plus other various Theatre Acts in Toronto, etc. He also teaches at Humber College + etc.... He's done a cool video alongside his body Rick Gratton in the early 90's titled "Live At PIT" and was already burning then. Hearing him these days (saw him in Clinic month back), Paul's maturity and musicality is evident. As Tombo wrote, his Latin is super SOLID!!

Paul... If you're reading this... Please tell us what you're up to these days... [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

Go for it Paul!!!! [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 18, 2004 07:30 AM: Message edited by: Beat Hit ]</font>

OH and if I am not mistaken... Paul Delong plays (or used to play) for a Steely Dan Tribute band... Not too sure of the name though... Could it be Pretzel Logic..? [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

I didn't know he was a member either! Cool. I have that vid with him and Rick Gratton too. I don't have him on any discs, but love him on the vid.

Brad

Ya that's Pretzel Logic... I think they might be playing sometime soon actually... And Paul's a pretty quiet guy on the boards [img]cool.gif[/img]

There are sound clips on their site.

Hey everybody,Paul DeLong here.Wow ,thanks for all your kind words. You don't know how much it means to me to get positive feedback like that. I wish I could report that the CODE is alive and well but it's in kind of a dormant phase right now. I hope that will change soon,believe me. I'm not having enough fun these days!
By the way greatgs stands for "great gretsch sound"(I endorse Pearl but I still love Gretsch) and 52 is the year I was born.

[img]biggrin.gif[/img] HI Paul... Thanks for your reply!

When and where is your next gig? I can't promise, but I sure would attempt to come down and see you play.

Hey Paul,

Really love your playing. Do you write down these grooves or feel them? They're complex but they groove real hard.

Mike

wow...audiophiles sound great....holdsworthesque.

Hey Paul,

I saw you play twice at the Montreal Drum Fest. Once two years ago when you came in with a sprained wrist ! But, that didn't stop you ! On stage with Rick Gratton, you still were able to sit down and, with one arm, play a great groove !

Then last year, you were back with your band The Code, and gave us one of the best performances I've seen in a long time !

But Paul, what happened to the "Wipe-Out" segment of the show ? For those who were not there, Paul, in the middle of a complexe fusion tune, broke out into a Wipe-Out roll, and made us believe that he could not complete the roll ! Then went back to the original tune ! Great acting Paul !

Will you come to Montreal anytime in the near future ? Please let us know.

Albert

Quote:

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Originally posted by Albert the Drummer:
Paul, in the middle of a complexe fusion tune, broke out into a Wipe-Out roll, and made us believe that he could not complete the roll ! Then went back to the original tune ! Great acting Paul !
Albert

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sounds like another case of Musical Tomfoolery/Comedy, if ya ask me...glad there's some more peeps with a sense of humor to break up the "tension of all that 'seriousness,'" too... [img]wink.gif[/img]

Hey Fuse,

You can get Paul DeLong's CD at Audiophile Imports .
I believe the site is:

http://www.audiophileimports.com

When on the site, search for Paul DeLong.

I remember introducing 'Paul' to 'Mark' from 'Audiophile Imports' a few years back at 'NAMM' and telling him "Paul is the best fusion drummer in Canada", today, it still stands !! Keep up the amazing work Paul !

Thanks again guys and glad you liked the Wipeout segment from our performance at the Montreal Drumfest last year. I always thought there was room for humour in music ever since I saw Lenny White do a drum solo with huge sunglasses on!
For those of you who asked what I'm doing these days,I'm currently doing Hairspray(the musical) full time in Toronto although the run is coming to an unexpected early end. Rick Gratton is my first sub and of course does an amazing job.
I'm also doing some concerts around Canada and few in the US with Colm Wilkinson(star of Phantom and Les Mis) and yes, I do play in a Steely Dan tribute called Pretzel Logic. Our next gig is at the Orbit Room in Toronto on Nov.11.
I'm also in the process of writing a drum book on polyrhythms and how to apply them to the drumset.
With regards to the CODE stuff and how I approach it-our guitar player who writes the tunes gives me a fairly detailed lead sheet that I make notes on. I don't write out a drum chart really,I just mark the accents that I want to catch and I might write in a groove idea as well or a general instruction to myself like"Gary Husband out here".
Some of the music is fairly difficult so I woodshed the parts that I know will give me trouble.The CD was done on a shoestring so most of the tunes were first or second takes and of course I always wish that I could have played them better. I don't think I've ever recorded anything that I liked 100% and probably never will!The older I get the more self-critical I get.It's a curse!!

Thanks for joining us Paul. Maybe I can get up to Toronto for that Nov Pretzel Logic gig, we'll see. Welcome to HOD! PT.

Quote:

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of course I always wish that I could have played them better. I don't think I've ever recorded anything that I liked 100% and probably never will! The older I get the more self-critical I get. It's a curse

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Nice to know that some of you other guys have the same 'problem!' [img]wink.gif[/img]

I listen to myself with my "'Weck ears' on" & can really nitpick myself to death AW... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Good to have you in here, Paul. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 20, 2004 12:10 AM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>