He is a saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, composer
and arranger nicknamed "Blue Lou" and "Blueness" born in Charleston, South
Carolina and raised in Beach City, Ohio.His father, also Lou, has an award given in his honour
and is recognised for creating the Alma Mater and being the Band Director
of Fairless High school in Navarre, Ohio.He studied at this high school and then took his further
education at the University of North Texas, where he concentrated first on the
clarinet before moving onto the saxophone.Here he became a member of the One O'Clock Lab Band,
composing the still performed "Looking With New Eyes", and after graduating
ventured out on his professional career in Manhattan, New York, as a
musician.He became a member
of the group Blood, Sweat & Tears, writing songs for them such as "Hip
Pickles", and then in 1975 joined up with the Saturday Night Live house
band, who he stayed with until 1983, as well as spending time working as a
session musician.1980 saw him
performing in the movie The Blues Brothers where he first got his
nickname "Blue Lou" given to him by Dan Aykroyd, and made a further
appearance in Blues Brothers 2000.In 2001 he spread his wings further and became the
leader, composer and arranger on the album Lou's Blues performed
with the Magic City Jazz Orchestra. Throughout his incredibly busy career as a respected
session musician in the New York area, that has spanned more than three
decades, he has worked with literally hundreds of acts in many genres of
music that include Patti Austin, Philip Bailey, The Band, Tony Bennett, Jose
Carreras, Eric Clapton, Deodato, Manu Dibango, Dr. John, Donald Fagen, Eddie
Floyd, Aretha Franklin, The J. Geils Band, Woody Herman, D.C. LaRue, Maureen
McGovern, Laura Nyro, Billy Preston, Lou Reed, Buddy Rich, The Rolling
Stones, Diana Ross, Lalo Schifrin, Neil Sedaka, Doc Severinson, Carly Simon,
Slave, B.J. Thomas, Stevie Wonder and Frank Zappa among many others.The albums he has featured on are
countless and far too many to mention but some of them are Box of Fire
by Aerosmith, Briefcase Full of Blues by The Blues Brothers, Off
to See the Lizard (as a member of The Nuff Brothers) by Jimmy Buffett, Feel
Me by Cameo, So Close by Dina Carroll, Genius & Soul: The
50th Anniversary Collection by Ray Charles, The Girl From
Ipanema by Astrud Gilberto, King of Blues: 1989 by B.B. King, Dead
Ringer by Meat Loaf, A Fifth of Beethoven by Walter Murphy, Something
Real by Phoebe Snow, City Kids by Spyro Gyra, Ringo's
Rotogravure by Ringo Starr, Two Against Nature by Steely Dan and
October Road by James Taylor, Forever, For Always, For Love
by Luther Vandross, Sings Cole Porter by Dionne Warwick, and the soundtracks of Chicago,Closer Than Ever, Contact, Family Thing, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Great
Outdoors, Just the Ticket and The Wiz. He currently resides in New York
City and still performs and tours with the ever popular The Blues Brothers
as well as keeping busy as a session musician and composer.
