Alabama Music Office.com goes to east Birmingham to attend a performance by Blue Lou Marini & Ray Reach at St. Martin's in The Pines Retirement Community on November 12, 2014.
"Blue" Lou Marini, Jr. (born May 13, 1945) is an American saxophonist, arranger and composer. He is noted for his work in the jazz, rock, blues and soul music traditions, and more popularly, for being an original member of the Blues Brothers band as well as featuring in the eponymous, very successful movie in 1980.
Marini has spent most of his professional life working as a sideman and arranger. In 2001, Marini recorded his first recording as a leader, with Ray Reach and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, titled "Lou's Blues" (released 2003). This recording features his arrangements and compositions, many of which have become favorites for the Lab Bands at the University of North Texas. The liner notes[1] of the CD were written by Grammy Award winning composer / arranger / producer Bob Belden. Lou is currently working on a new CD project, again collaborating with Ray Reach, with vocals by his son, Lou Marini III.
Lou Marini, Jr. is an unsung jazz hero. Ask any top New York jazz musician who Lou Marini is, and they will tell you he's one of the absolute best jazz musicians in New York. Yet, because he has made a name for himself as a sideman in various high profile pop groups (Steely Dan, James Taylor, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Saturday Night Live Band, the Blues Brothers, etc.), he is all but ignored by the jazz press. This is wrong, because "Lou's Blues" displays Lou Marini's incredible talent and skill as both a composer and as a multi-woodwind player of the highest possible calibre. Lou has a lot to say, and all should listen.
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Raymond Everett Reach, Jr. (born August 3, 1948) is an American pianist, vocalist and educator residing in Birmingham, Alabama, now serving as Director of Student Jazz Programs for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, director of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars and President and CEO of Ray Reach Music and Magic City Music Productions. He is noted for his versatility and mastery of many diverse styles. In addition, he is an accomplished guitarist, arranger, composer, conductor and music producer. As a studio musician, he has played on hundreds of recordings of all descriptions. He has composed, arranged and performed in a variety of genre, and is well known for his work in Pop, R & B, Motown/Soul, Gospel, Rock, Classic Rock, Country (contemporary and traditional), Contemporary Christian, Classical and jazz music, and is perhaps best known for his work in the jazz idiom, combining straight-ahead jazz piano stylings with Sinatra-style vocals. Like many male jazz vocalists, Reach's jazz repertoire centers on the classic popular standards and jazz standards of the Great American Songbook. However, he differs from many of his jazz vocal colleagues in that he does most of his own arrangements and accompanies himself on the piano.