By Ginger Caviness

There is no more tangible link with a popular band’s career and fame than its music. You might remember each band members’ instruments, the wailing Fender guitar, the Hammond B3 organ, the dynamic drums that “The Deacon” rules over, or the cool tones of that baritone sax. Eventually, you remember the music that identifies the band. Such is the calling, the class and the music from the gentleman known as Jimi Lund.

This band provides a music experience that spans the test of time in friendship and music. Over 30 years ago this year, Lund, Bruce Svela and Larry Congram knew they held something special in their soul while rocking and rolling to the beat of the vibe. It is a sound that Lund created and has a distinctive “calling” to each member.

The band, all 10 members strong, and the vocals of Ms. Myrtle Brown continue to create a following of die-hard blues, rock, rhythm and blues fans with a splash of funk! This group continues to conquer the Pacific Northwest music scene year after year.

Some of the band members chose to provide their biographies for a personal glimpse of how it all started for each of them.

Starting with Myrtle Brown, guest vocalist, has simply the best pipes around and if you have not heard You Can Have My Husband, it alone is worth the trip to hear this song. Sass with class, this lady does sing the blues, R & B with soul and can belt out a mean rendition of the best of the blues. Brown has enjoyed two recent trips to Spain singing her style and winning praises that beg for more.

In the horn section is Mike Kelly on sax and flute; Brad Davis, on trumpet, provides the powerful depth to the bands sound and will remind you to sing along and rock with their background vocals.

Norman Young, bass guitar, reigns true in this man’s gentle but edgy rifts and bones of the band. Young is also known for his other hobby, another band called SLAM. Lund will join Young this year in a private New Years Eve gig. The walls will rock for sure.

Larry Congram provides this condensed musical history: “In 1953, I sang on a 78 rpm recording. I have what I believe to be the only record that exists. Some friends in high school wanted to start an electric rock band in 1963 so I bought an organ and we called ourselves Tank And The Septics. We were the first rock band at Hillsboro High. A couple of years later, I joined some older guys, with better gigs, called The Untouchables. We opened for Eric Burden and the Animals, as well as The Shindogs, Canned Heat, Them, The Grass Roots and more. We thought we were going to be stars, but that didn’t happen. Chicago came out in 1968 and we fell in love with the horn sound. Since Jimi, Bruce and I played trombone throughout school, we decided to put together a Chicago-like band called Jamm And Co. We traveled across the western states and Canada living all together in band houses.

For whatever reason, the band didn't survive and in 1972, Lund started a band called Carmel. In 1973, I was offered a position in a Seattle band called Captain Midnite. We played all over the U.S. and Canada, as well as Hawaii. One of my greatest moments in show business is when we opened for Glen Campbell and Bobby Goldsboro before a crowd of 10,000 in Dayton, Ohio. I fronted Captain Midnite with Les Brown And His Band Of Renown as backup. I sang American Trilogy and when I got to Dixie, the crowd of 10,000 came to their feet because Dayton is just below the Mason-Dixon line. After the concert, we jammed in our room with members of Campbell's band, then afterward danced arm-in-arm with Ray Bolger doing the Scarecrow dance down the hallway of the hotel. In 1975 through ’77, Lund had a band called Marcom Bridge, playing a lot of the same rooms as Captain Midnite had played. We had stardom in our eyes again playing in Las Vegas in lounges, where we shared the stage with big star performers.

In 1979-‘81 I toured with Blue Gin, a ‘60s act, including a Paul Revere and the Raiders show complete with costume. I retired from playing, burnt out from clubs, but never could get it out of my system. I joined up with Lund and Svela a few years ago and, well, here we go again!”

Doug Strohberger took piano lessons for six years (starting at age 6), then switched to guitar and took lessons for one year. Strohberger started playing guitar in the Nightraiders (five-piece band) in 1963, switching to keyboards in 1964. The band, booked by Ross Hart, played in a half-hour local TV variety show, school dances, battle of the bands, Tork Club, The Keyhole, The Oregon State Fair, D-Street Corral, Jantzen Beach, and many more.

Strohberger states, “With Blue Gin, a five-piece band formed in 1966 and booked by Ross Hart, I purchased my first Hammond organ (M2) and Leslie speaker. We recorded a single 45 rpm record; several thousand copies distributed locally. We recorded a single 45 RPM record for Jerry Espinosa (a local singer). We played at Evergreen Ballroom, Salem Armory, high school & college dances, night clubs, Oregon State Fair.

I upgraded my keyboard to a Hammond B3 and added another Leslie speaker in 1968. We played at various dances and clubs in the northwest.

In 1970, I was Hammond organist for a band called Round. Our gig at Pub East in Portland lasted two years, playing intermittently through the ‘80s and ‘90s.

With the Redcoats in 2002, a six-piece band, we played at fairs and casinos. In 2004 we added a horn section. As a ten-piece band we played at Rose Festival (opening night, center stage).

The Jimi Lund Band was formed in 2005 with the focus on R & B, soul. I’m still using the same Hammond B3 and Leslie that I purchased in 1968. The rest as they say is ‘history’!”

Bruce Svela says, “I started my career in the early ‘60s with a band in high school. After graduating from high school (and getting out of the Army), I put together a band called Jamm & Company, an eight-piece horn band, that toured all over the western United States. Jimi and Larry were in that band from1969 to 1972. Subsequently, I've played in several different bands in the Northwest. In 1990, I put together a band called The Perfect Ten. This was a very successful 10-piece horn band that played all over the Northwest, in many outdoor events and all the major clubs. (I have a lot of promo from that band). At one point, I had Eddie McGee (formerly with Tower of Power) as the lead singer. Jimi was also in that band and so was Mike Kelly.

After that band, Jimi and I formed Jimi and the Bluesmasters. I very much enjoy playing drums for a powerful big band that likes to ‘cook.’ I feel like Jimi and I have a special musical connection. We can anticipate each others’ moves/playing, and are locked into ‘cooking’ as hard as we can. We both understand that we need to leave it all on stage, never hold back, every time we play.”

Cary Cook says “Hello! My name is Cary Cook, I'm 36 years old and I play the baritone sax. I started playing the sax in fifth grade. I graduated from Roseburg High School in 1990, then went off to Mt. Hood to study music. I played in the Mt Hood Jazz Band for three years and have performed at the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival with artist John Pizzarelli. I've been in many groups in the Portland-Vancouver area such as a 20-piece Elvis show band, the Blues Broads, (a Blues Brothers tribute band) and the T.V Jazz Ensemble and many more. I live to play music and will do it ‘til I can't do it anymore.”

The lead, the man and finally the shredder himself is Jimi Lund. He plays lead guitar, vocals and is THE MAN behind the band.

Is he a romantic, musically? If it sounds correct, you can create anything pure.

The collectible guitars have an established place in time for Lund, as discussions prevail about the minutiae of guitar pick-ups, rotary controls, machine heads and bridges, not to mention serial numbers, modifications and hybrids. These guitars have represented Lund’s journey in music, reflecting his musical style and sometimes the heroes he has tried to emulate. Each instrument tells a story different and familiar. If you remember where it all started, that sound and the history brought Lund to know and understand the beginning Fender Stratocaster, 1956; Gibson Les Paul; slide guitar and some noise about a blonde finish with gold plated metal parts or Mary Kayes jazz feel; hard for blues, but ideal for recording. Lund has played them all and continues to astound those that follow this legend.

(Note: When Eric Clapton’s Brownie Guitar was sold at Christie’s in 1999, it fetched a remarkable $497,500.)

Lund will never give up his devotion and gift to his passion of music and this writer will continue to remind him to consider the price his guitar might bring someday.

It didn’t happen overnight, of course. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, the young rockers usually thought their music career would last six or seven years before time and change took their inevitable place. The long road ahead would span the United States and Europe, continuing to challenge their musical destiny with every performance. Billy Preston, Robben Ford, The Doobie Brothers, they were all on the train.

Rick Gordon, sound man extraordinaire, he is the key to the sound that emanates the familiar style for which this power unit is known. Gordon brings his own style and mix to each performance and is a dedicated pro at what he does.

Gordon is the exclusive provider of sound production and live digital recordings for the Jimi Lund Band. With the complexity of a 10-piece band to mix, Lund simply will not go on stage without him.

Gordon's company, American Made Sound, provides live sound production and live recording services for numerous bands and venues in the Northwest. Some of his live recording credits include the Katrina Benefit at Beale Street NW; ‘05, MicroBlues Festival ‘06 and ‘07, Franco Paletta Live CD; and Tony Coleman Band, live at Jimmy Mak's. He also was the FOH engineer for MicroBlues ‘05-’07; the Woodland Blues Festival; Uptown Street Festival 2004-2006 (Vancouver, Wash.). American Made Sound can provide full sound production for a small venue to a full festival setup.

Gordon has a wealth of over 30 years musical experience in various bands, including the New Folk Fourple, Darby O'Gill, the Blues Broads and Closed Captioned. He plays guitar, blues harp and sings and has done sound production for the past 10 years or so. He has been known to take to the stage to play a bit of harp with Lund‘s band from time to time.

By education, though, Gordon is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist, which really comes in handy when dealing with temperamental musicians and venue managers. He says that his therapy work provides him with lots of satisfaction, but his music activities provide the joy

Lund prides himself on having an older and more intelligent audience. They are attempting to deal with subjects that had previously been reserved for literature and the movies. They stayed with him and his music. For Lund, it feels like wearing a feel-good-all-over leather jacket, like a hot and greasy “personal effect” for keeps!

The year’s musical journey included private parties for the most distinguished businesses in town such as Wilsonville BMW, Maryhill Winery, The Thirsty Lion, Macadam’s Bar and Grill, The Gemini, The M & M Lounge and many more. Memories end the year and new ones will be made in 2008. The band’s promoter is known for sourcing exclusive venues, hot casinos and jet-set get -a-ways; a cruise could be in the works, and travel from coast to coast.

The Lear jet awaits……

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