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Lou Marini

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Lou Marini Jr.
Marini at the 2007 Hamar Music Festival in Hamar, Hedmark, Norway
Marini at the 2007 Hamar Music Festival in Hamar, Hedmark, Norway
Background information
Also known asBlue Lou
Born (1945-05-13) May 13, 1945 (age 79)
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
GenresBlues, R&B, rock, pop, jazz, soul
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Saxophone, clarinet, flute
Years active1960–present
Member ofThe Blues Brothers
Formerly of
Websiteblueloumarini.com

Louis William Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brothers.

Early life

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Left to right: Lou Marini, Ray Reach, and Ernie Stires at a reception following a Carnegie Hall concert, 2004

Marini was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His parents were Italian immigrants from the region of Trentino. He graduated from Fairless High School in Navarre, Ohio. His father, Lou Marini Sr., was the high school's band director and wrote the school song. Fairless bestows the annual Lou Marini Award in honor of Marini Sr. who died in May 2008. Both Lou Marini Sr. and Lou Marini Jr. were inducted into the Fairless Alumni Association Hall of Honor in May 2010. In June 2010, Marini Jr. was named artistic director at the first Brianza Blues Festival, in Villa Reale (Monza, Italy).[1] Marini attended North Texas State University College of Music (now known as the University of North Texas College of Music), where he played in the One O'Clock Lab Band. From 1972 to 1974 he played in Blood, Sweat & Tears. From 1975 to 1983, he was a member of the Saturday Night Live house band. He was a member of The Blues Brothers band, appearing in The Blues Brothers movie and its sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, playing the part of "Blue Lou", a moniker given by Dan Aykroyd.

He played on Frank Zappa's 1977 album Zappa in New York, on Cindy Bullens' 1978 album Desire Wire, and has worked with Aerosmith, Deodato, Maureen McGovern, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Dionne Warwick, the Buddy Rich Big Band, and the Woody Herman Orchestra.

Solo work

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Marini has spent most of his professional life working as a sideman and arranger. In 1986, he recorded a mournful, melancholy solo sax for the soundtrack of HBO's 1987 animated adaptation of Bernard Waber's children's book The House on East 88th St. which was released under the title Lyle, Lyle Crocodile. In 2004, he recorded his first recording as a bandleader, with Ray Reach and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, titled Lou's Blues (2004). This album features his arrangements and compositions, many of which have become favorites for the Lab Bands at the University of North Texas. The liner notes[2] of the album were written by Grammy Award-winning composer, arranger, and producer Bob Belden.

On March 23, 2010, he released Blue Lou and Misha Project - Highly Classified, a collaboration with Misha Segal, an Israeli pianist and composer.

Compositions and arrangements

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Marini's work as an arranger and composer has been influenced by Gil Evans, Bob Brookmeyer, Thad Jones, and Don Ellis, as well as rock, pop, and avant-garde music. For example, his song, "Hip Pickles," written for Blood, Sweat and Tears, is described by reviewer Jack Bowers[3] of AllAboutJazz.com, as follows: "Marini's unorthodox notions surface on 'Hip Pickles,' whose free' intro gives way to a melody played by screaming trumpets and Clapton-like guitar, prefacing a stormy interchange between Marini (alto) and Tom Wolfe [on guitar]."[4]

Discography

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Solo

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As guest

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With The Blues Brothers

With Maureen McGovern

With John Tropea

  • Short Trip to Space 1977
  • To Touch You Again 1979
  • NYC Cats Direct 1985
  • The Chick Corea Songbook 2009

With Frank Zappa

With others

References

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  1. ^ "Lou Marini alla Villa Reale: "Sono ancora in missione per conto del Blues" - Corriere della Sera". Corriere.it. 2009-12-24. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  2. ^ [1] Archived December 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ [2] Archived April 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Lou Marini & the Magic City Jazz Orchestra: Lou's Blues". Allaboutjazz.com. 2 August 2004. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  5. ^ "Fred Lipsius - Better Believe It!". Discogs. 1993. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
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