Lethbridge based blues band Paul Kype and Texas Flood have released a new Cd aptly titled “Long Time Comin.”
Kype, who is a prominent blues musician playing all over southern Alberta, released his last CD in 2003. He has been splitting his time playing gigs and working as a fishing guide for the past few summers.
“I’ve been playing a lot in Calgary and Edmonton and I’ve been guiding during the summers, but I’m cutting back on guiding this year because I want to focus on music,” he said.
He noted part of the reason it has taken so l
ong to record a new CD is because it has taken time to get the new line up of Texas Flood together.
The band features Earl Mcauly playing keyboards, bassist Craig Erdman (though Tyson Maiko plays bass on a couple of the songs on the CD), drummer Brady Valgardson (though Jerry Adolphe plays drums on a couple of the tracks as well) and lead guitarist Greg Gomola, who also has Paul Kype in his band, Zojo Black.
The Cd also features Treeline’s Ryan “Skinny” Dyck on pedal steel guitar and Greg “Bear” Melvin played extra acoustic guitar.
“I decided to step it up,” he continued adding he is looking into summer music festivals.
“ I want to get people talking about the music more regularly and get some buzz happening,” he said adding it has taken some time to get things together musically.
“ I released my first Cd right around the time I moved out here (from Vancouver) and it took a long time to get a really solid band together,” he said adding they have been together for four or five years.
“It’s a really solid, steady line-up. And it’s been well received,” he continued.
“ It took a while before I felt ready to record,” he said noting the CD includes songs written over the last eight years plus a few covers of AC DC’s “Bad Boy Boogie” and blues classic “Walkin’ by Myself.”
“ It’s fun to be excited about an album again,” he said. He recorded it in his home studio Bearfoot Studio.
“It’s really eight years of ideas. Really I’m not at the same place in my life now as I was when I wrote them,” he continued
“But it is up to people to interpret what the songs mean to them.”
There is a fair amount of country influence in the songs.
“You can’t live in Southern Alberta and no be influenced by country,” he said, citing influences like Tom Petty ( from a production standpoint), John Fogerty as well as bluesmen like Doyle Bramhall II, Gary Clark Jr., George Thorogood and ZZ Top.
Kype said his writing process varies. Some take years to come but others come almost immediately.
“The best songs for me are the ones that come together naturally,” he said.
He doesn’t have a formal tour planned for the CD.
“I’ll just keep playing gigs and see where it goes,” he said.
Kype also plays lead guitar for Jerry Doucette, best know for his hit “Mama Let Him Play.”
He met Doucette at the Yale in Vancouver where he had a regular gig. Doucette’s son was working as a bouncer and turned Doucette on to Kype’s talent.
He doesn’t play a lot with Doucette anymore.
“ We’re still really good friends, but lately when I get the call from him I usually have my own gigs booked,” he said.
Kype is already working on the next CD, which won’t be as long of a time coming. He had the CD release party for “Long Time Comin” on March 28.
“ I will release it next year,” he said.
“And maybe make this an annual event.”
He plays frequently.
His next appearance on a Lethbridge stage will be May 3 at the Slice when he and bassist Craig Erdman plays the South Country Fair Songwriting finals accompanying his girlfriend Jenn Pellerin.
