The Original Blues Brothers Band

Had anyone told me in 1978 that in 2017 I would still be traveling around the world and playing with the Blues Brothers’ Band, I would have said they were out of their minds. But amazingly here we are with a new CD and still playing all over the world.

Our new CD The Last Shade Of Blue Before Black is a true labor of love and I’m so proud of the organic way it came about. We really wanted to honor our history and to include some of our favorite musicians that we’ve worked with and loved over the years. We have the legends, Eddie Floyd and Dr. John, plus our original band leader, Paul Shaffer and the great bluesman Joe Louis Walker. We also have Tom “Bones” Malone playing and arranging, and cameo’s from Matt “Guitar” Murphy and Joe Morton, a star from our second movie. We are also thrilled to have former members David Spinozza on guitar, Birch Johnson on trombone, and my steady sub, Baron Raymonde on alto sax.

We wanted to present some new original material and do some tunes that hearkened to our past. This is a live CD, with everyone recording at once, mostly first or second takes and live vocals and solos. The only overdubs were some baritone sax parts and a few minor fixes.

I’ve often said that the OBBB is the world’s greatest part-time job because of you, our fans. We’ve gotten to see the world and enjoy it in your company. We’ve eaten and drank with you, especially the latter, and you have treated us like kings. Enjoy this music and for God’s sake, PLAY IT LOUD!

Lou “Blue Lou” Marini
October 2017

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The History of the Blues Brothers

Whether celebrated as a sincere tribute or derided as a tongue-in-cheek put-on, the Blues Brothers, Joliet Jake and his silent brother Elwood were among the most popular groups of the late '70s.

What started as a skit on the hit NBC television sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live quickly snowballed to become a true phenomenon, complete with hit records, a sold-out concert tour, and even a feature film.

Clad in vintage black suits, narrow ties, fedoras, and omnipresent wrap-around sunglasses, the Blues Brothers delivered spirited renditions of classic soul hits in the tradition of the signature Stax-Volt sound; purists may still cringe, but if nothing else the group deserves credit for introducing any number of soul and blues classics to a new generation of listeners while also allowing some of the most gifted session men in the business a chance to shine on-stage and on-screen.

According to "Don Kirshner" (actually Saturday Night Live bandleader Paul Shaffer in disguise), the Blues Brothers' history was as follows: "In 1969, Marshall Checker, of the legendary Checkers Records, called me on a new blues act that had been playing in the small, funky clubs on Chicago's South side, today they are no longer an authentic blues act, but have managed to become a viable commercial product."

In reality, however, vocalist Jake and harpist Elwood Blues were music lovers John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, two of SNL's brightest stars who created their respective aliases in early 1976 to warm up crowds before performances of the hit series.

The Blues Brothers made their national TV debut with Belushi and Aykroyd outfitted in the bee costumes they often wore for another sketch, performing (naturally enough) Slim Harpo's "I'm a King Bee," and in the months to follow they grew in popularity, appearing on the program with increasing regularity.

The Blues Brothers' band included top Memphis session men like guitarist Steve Cropper and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, who together appeared on many of the original Stax label recordings of songs in the group's repertoire; later incarnations also featured notables like bluesman Matt "Guitar" Murphy.

While opening for comedian Steve Martin in Los Angeles in 1978, the Blues Brothers recorded their debut live LP, Briefcase Full of Blues. The album was released 19 days later on Atlantic Records and quickly went platinum, launching Top 40 hit covers of "Soul Man" and "Rubber Biscuit."

The band also toured in 1980 to promote their feature-length movie, The Blues Brothers, a sprawling musical comedy featuring cameos by everyone from Cab Calloway to Aretha Franklin. Lou Marini was featured through the film and in the diner scene during Aretha Franklin's performance of the song "Think" where he struts across the diner counter top during his saxophone solo.

The Blues Brothers second LP, Made in America was released in 1980 and had two more Top 40 hits "Gimme Some Lovin'", "Who's Making Love" appeared that same year.

In 1981, The Best of the Blues Brothers was released, further solidifying their massive popularity; however, on March 5, 1982, Belushi died in Hollywood of an accidental drug overdose, and the Blues Brothers' saga was effectively over. Or so it seemed.

As the movie remained a cult favorite and old Saturday Night Live sketches continued to run in syndication, the group's "legend" continued to grow, and, in 1988, Cropper, Dunn, Murphy, and other players re-formed the Blues Brothers Band for a world tour, often backing singer Eddie Floyd.

In 1992, they even cut a new LP, Red White and Blues, which featured a guest appearance from Aykroyd/Elwood. Around the same time, Aykroyd also mounted his House of Blues franchise, an international chain of upscale blues joints; he, actor John Goodman, and Belushi's brother Jim also appeared on occasion in a new Blues Brothers lineup.
Finally, in 1998 a second movie, Blues Brothers 2000, was released.

To date the Blues Brothers have released seven albums followed over the years by a total of seven different compilation or "best of" collections.

The band continues to tour around the World during the year led by saxophonist Lou Marini.

New CD!

The Last Shade Of Blue Before Black

"Expertly played and highly entertaining, fans of the original band will not be disappointed with The Last Shade of Blue Before Black".
Robert H. Cataliotti - Living Blues Magazine

"With a line-up like this, one would expect classic soul and blues...and that is exactly what the band delivers...This one is a keeper."
Bill Wilson - Refections In Blue

"...the best yet…It's great to hear a horn section that sounds this muscular but doesn't overpower the arrangements. The band pays homage to the Muscle Shoals and Stax Records sound"
Grant Britt - NoDepression.com

Produced by Lou Marini, Steve Cropper and The Original Blues Brothers Band, the new Original Blues Brothers Band CD The Last Shade Of Blue Before Black is a live CD with everyone recording at once. The disc includes 14 songs, three originals and classics by such artists as Wille Dixon, James Brown, Jimmy Reed, Eddie Floyd and others. The music consists of arrangements by Lou Marini, John Tropea, Tom Malone, Paul Shaffer and The Original Blues Brothers band. Special guests on the recording are Eddie Floyd, Joe Louis Walker, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Tom "Bones" Malone, Paul Shaffer, Dr. John and Joe Morton. Read More...

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Watch behind the scenes footage of the making of The Original Blues Brothers Band's new CD The Last Shade Of Blue Before Black

Click below to listen to my interview on the "Music On The Couch" radio show.
It starts at 47:00
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