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Lutalo Olutosin

After 35 years in the Military as a Police Officer and achieving the rank of Colonel, Lutalo Olutosin aka ' Sweet Lu’ Olutosin found that his calling to be a Jazz Vocalist was still as strong as it was the day he entered Military Service.

Today Lu is a Bandleader, featured Soloist, and Recording Artist. His freshman release achieved status on the CMJ Jazz Charts in 2011. Lu has received Critical acclaim and Glowing reviews in industry standard publications like All About Jazz, Jazz USA, Jazz Times and Others. jazztimes.com, www.allaboutjazz.com

Sweet Lu has just completed his most recent work in New York City entitled “Sweet Lou’s Blues” where he teamed with Antonio Ciacca’s quintet of esteemed Jazz musicians including Jeremy Pelt, Jerome Jennings, Tivon Pennicott, and Mike Karn. The CD is already receiving Great reviews in Jazz industry publications.

The Rest of the Story

Born in East Chicago, Indiana. Raised during early life in Gary, Indiana, Lutalo (Lu) moved to the Deep South (Madison, Mississippi) in the mid 1970′s. Influenced heavily by a family filled with Gospel singers and musicians, he followed suit until hearing an Al Jarreau song on the radio. From that moment Everything changed, especially his approach to listening, judging, and singing the music that inspired him.

During a career in the US Military that was sprinkled with performances in Jazz, R&B and musical stage productions, across the South Eastern US, he embarked on a solo career in 2002. Convinced by the respectful nods of major jazz critics and musicians attending his performances, Lu knew he had something special. As fate would reveal it, a tremendously talented quartet of musicians agreed with Lu’s assessment and the “Sweet Lu Quintet” was formed in 2008 in Atlanta, GA.

Lu (Sweet Lu) effortlessly blends Straight-ahead and Modern Jazz styles with Bossa nova and Soulful rhythms. Dynamic, explosive and, cutting edge, are the identifiable characteristics that best describe his vocal Jazz style.

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Album Review

Lutalo Olutosin: Tribute to Greatness

Read "Tribute to Greatness" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Vocalese is the pinnacle of jazz singing; a jazz singing style based on lyrics composed to melodies that were originally part of non-vocal compositions or improvisations. There are only a handful of truly proficient vocalese lyricists, a short list including Eddie Jefferson, Babs Gonzales, King Pleasure (Clarence Beeks), Jon Hendricks, and Mark Murphy. East Chicago native Lutalo Olutosin honors all this and more on his Tribute to Greatness. Far from mere imitation, Olutosin sings these composition in his own relaxed ...

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"Some of the best jazz vocal work you’ll hear in 2014!"....."a (perfect) 5.00; which means that this one also gets the “PICK” of this issue for “best jazz vocals”. Improvijazzation Nation- http://t.co/Blu6LDKWoM

“Lu brings a Soulful and Dynamic energy to every song that is nothing less than hypnotically mesmerizing. While developing his own style of delivery to Jazz standards, the influences of great artist like Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Al Jarreau and Eddie Jefferson resonate comfortably in his smooth rich multi-octave voice.” Jazz USA, Jazzusa.com (Feb 07, 2012)

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Music

Afro Blue

From: Tribute To Greatness
By Lutalo Olutosin

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