Lou Marini

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
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 Eugene 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

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.[2]

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

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[3] 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

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[4] 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]."[5]

Discography

Solo

  • Lou's Blues 2001
  • Highly Classified 2010
  • Starmaker 2012

As guest

With The Blues Brothers

  • Briefcase Full of Blues 1978
  • The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack 1980
  • Made in America 1980
  • Best of The Blues Brothers 1981
  • Dancin' wid da Blues Brothers 1983
  • The Blues Brothers Band Live in Montreux 1990
  • Red, White & Blues 1992
  • The Very Best of The Blues Brothers 1995
  • Blues Brothers & Friends: Live from Chicago's House of Blues 1997
  • Blues Brothers 2000 1998

With Maureen McGovern

  • Naughty Baby 1989
  • Baby I'm Yours 1992
  • Out of This World 1996
  • Music Never Ends 1997

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

  • AerosmithNight in the Ruts 1979
  • Larry Applewhite – Larry Applewhite 1979
  • Jesse Austin – Baby's Back 1995
  • Patti AustinHavana Candy 1977
  • Carolyn Blackwell Sings Bernstein 1996
  • Blood, Sweat & TearsNew Blood (1972)
  • Blood, Sweat & Tears – No Sweat (1973)
  • Boyzz – Too Wild to Tame 1978
  • Brecker BrothersDon't Stop the Music 1980
  • Jimmy BuffettOff to See the Lizard 1989
  • Cindy Bullens – Desire Wire 1978
  • Ann Hampton CallawayBring Back Romance 1994
  • CameoFeel Me 1980
  • Dina CarrollSo Close 1993
  • Betty Carter - The Music Never Stops 2019
  • Closer Than Ever – Closer Than Ever 1990
  • Freddy ColeIt's Crazy, But I'm In Love1996
  • Hank CrawfordGroove Master 1990
  • Hank Crawford – South Central 1992
  • DeodatoNight Cruiser 1980
  • Manu DibangoGone Clear 1980
  • Manu Dibango – Ambassador 1981
  • Amy Drinkwater – With All My Heart – A Journey to the Soul 2005
  • Cornell DupreeCoast to Coast 1988
  • Eric Essix – SuperBlue 2006
  • Donald FagenKamakiriad 1993
  • Family Thing – Family Thing 1996
  • Robben FordThe Inside Story 1979
  • Aretha FranklinGet It Right (1983)
  • Michael FranksTiger in the Rain 1979
  • The J. Geils BandFreeze Frame 1981
  • The J. Geils Band – Houseparty: Anthology 1992
  • Michael GibbsBig Music 1988
  • Levon HelmLevon Helm & the RCO All-Stars 1977
  • Levon Helm – Levon Helm 1978
  • Lena HorneLive On Broadway 1981
  • Bobbi HumphreyGood Life 1979
  • Denise Jannah – I Was Born In Love With You 1995
  • Garland Jeffreys – Guts for Love 1983
  • Eddie King – Another Cow's Dead 1997
  • D.C. LaRue – Laso 1977
  • D. C. Larue – Ten Dance 1977
  • Fred Lipsius - Better Believe It (mja Records, 1996)[6]
  • Love & Money – Strange Kind of Love 1988
  • MelaniePhonogenic – Not Just Another Pretty Face 1978
  • Magnet – Worldwide Attraction 1979
  • Mike Mandel – Sky Music 1978
  • Meat LoafDead Ringer 1981
  • Elliott MurphyNight Lights 1976
  • Walter MurphyA Fifth of Beethoven 1976
  • Milton NascimentoAngelus (flute) 1994
  • Claude NougaroNougayork 1987
  • Laura NyroWalk the Dog and Light the Light 1993
  • Linda CliffordI'll Keep on Loving You 1982
  • Jill O'Hara – Jill O'Hara 1993
  • One O'clock Lab BandBest of One O'clock 1992
  • Eddie PalmieriUnfinished Masterpiece 1990
  • Tom Pierson – Planet of Tears 1996
  • Andy Pratt – Shiver in the Night 1977
  • Raw Stylus – Pushing Against the Flow 1995
  • Lou ReedSally Can't Dance 1974
  • Repercussions – Earth and Heaven 1995
  • Jess Band Roden – Player Not the Game 1977
  • Joe Roccisano – Shape I'm In 1993
  • Joe Roccisano – Leave Your Mind Behind 1995
  • Lalo SchifrinTowering Toccata 1976
  • Neil SedakaA Song 1977
  • Carly SimonHello Big Man 1983
  • Ray Simpson – Ray Simpson 1992
  • Phoebe SnowSomething Real 1989
  • Spyro GyraCity Kids 1983
  • Marvin Stamm – Stampede 1983
  • Ringo StarrRingo's Rotogravure 1976
  • Steely DanTwo Against Nature 2000
  • Sunshine – Sunshine (1972)
  • T. Life – That's Life 1978
  • Kate TaylorKate Taylor 1978
  • B.J. ThomasSongs 1973
  • B.J. Thomas – Longhorn & London Bridges 1974
  • Harvey Thomas Young – Highways of Gold 1995
  • Peter ToshMystic Man 1979
  • Peter Tosh – Wanted Dread & Alive 1981
  • Luther VandrossForever, For Always, For Love 1982
  • Thijs Van leer – Nice to Have Met You 1978
  • Dionne WarwickDionne Warwick Sings Cole Porter 1990*

References

  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. ^ Zuanich, Barbara (1980-01-10). "Saturday Night's Live Band". Bonners Ferry Herald. p. 64. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
  3. ^ [1] Archived December 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ [2] Archived April 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Lou Marini & the Magic City Jazz Orchestra: Lou's Blues". Allaboutjazz.com. 2 August 2004. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  6. ^ "Fred Lipsius - Better Believe It!". Discogs. 1993. Retrieved 17 January 2019.