The Paul Speidel Band Archive Series

A three-CD collection of limited-edition recordings of the Band’s first decade of work together (1994-2004) prior to the release of their self-titled debut CD. Digitally-remastered audio from a variety of sources, this series was released produced and released between 2006-2008, between the releases of the band’s first two commercially-available live recordings…

The Paul Speidel Band—“Taped Together,” released in 2006

This Archive recording documents the first years of an energetic working band whose live shows extended into new territories of Blues, Swing and Funk-Rock fusion. Paul Speidel Band music right from the beginning...tracks from their very first shows together!

Once Upon A Time...The Paul Speidel Band was known as the house band for the Blues Showcase Series in Newton during the 1990's, where they backed a long list of stellar Blues artists including David Maxwell, Duke Robillard, Jay Geils, Toni Lynn Washington, Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, James Montgomery, "Sax" Gordon, Shirley Lewis and many others.

"Taped Together" is an Archive recording which features bassist and founding member, John Wiesner, along with longtime drummer, Brendan Byrnes and Paul Speidel on guitar. These digitally remastered recordings were drawn from radio broadcasts and live club shows during the early- and mid-90s. These are the high-energy excursions of accomplished players who together developed a strong musical direction and group identity, which have lead the band for the past fourteen years. The music is rooted deeply in blues styles and grooves, yet explores group improvisation in ways more akin to contemporary jam bands and late 60's Jazz-Rock groups.

The Paul Speidel Band--"Hey Everybody," released in 2007

In this Archive recording, the Band jumps to the swingin' side of the Blues, with instrumental excursions into Jazz, R&B and Funk! The Paul Speidel Band Story continues on this, the second installment in a collection of three Archive recordings...

“From the late 1990s through the first couple of years of the new millennium, the Paul Speidel Band -- usually Speidel on guitar, Steve Conahan on bass, Brendan Byrnes on drums -- held court with a monthly gig at Cambridge’s Plough and Stars, where fans would gather to hear their terrific mix of blues and jazz instrumentals. This album offers up some of the trio’s hottest performances (David Hollender and John Wiesner replace Conahan on a few tracks) at three different dates. The trio opens with the laid-back shuffle ‘Look Who’s Playing,’ and smoothly moves into the playful, bass-heavy ‘Buy You a Drink, Dear?’ The music here runs the gamut from soft and easy to having a slight edge to going over the top, and Speidel is equally at home firing out a line of solo notes or chording all over his guitar’s neck. The whole mood changes when, on ‘Payin’ Dues’ -- which features a bit of guitar strangling -- a much rowdier crowd, prone to talking and glass clinking, can be heard. It gets in the way for a few minutes, but the trio’s energy quickly matches, then surpasses, that of the room’s noise level. The last two beautifully recorded tracks, ‘24-Hour Love Affair’ and ‘A Hand to the Plough,’ cover, respectively, the band’s mellower and more swinging side, and their ability to rock out.” --Ed Symkus, Cambridge Chronicle (6/14/07)

The Paul Speidel Band--"Previous Engagements," released in 2008

These Limited Edition Rockin' Blues Archive recordings feature live shows and demos spanning a 12-year period, documenting the evolution of a hard-working Boston-area club band...

"Previous Engagements" is the third Paul Speidel Band "Archive" CD, completing a series of recordings which follows the creative development of the band from demos and debut shows in the early 90's through the release of their first studio CD in 2004. This installment features the Jazzy side of the Band, mixed in with Swingin' Blues and R&B Funk grooves--much of it recorded during an 8-year residency at the historic Cambridge, MA music spot, The Plough & Stars. These digitally-remastered tracks put you right inside the club during this time in the band's artistic development, following this unique musical story line through the familiar sounds of American roots styles!