Sweet Lu” Olutosin
After 35 years in the US Military
‘
Colonel
’
Lutalo Olutosin finally allowed “Sweet Lu” Olutosin to take ce
nter
stage as he embraced the Jazz Vocalist that had flourishe
d within him since childhood.
Today Lu is a Bandleader, featured Soloist, and Recording A
rtist. He is a top 20 charting National (US) Jazz
artist, and is receiving glowing reviews in industry standard publ
ications like All About Jazz, Cadence
Magazine, Jazz USA, Jazz Times and Others.
Lu
’
s work has been given a 5- Star rating on Amazon.com.
Sweet Lu and his sextet captivated a capacity crowd at the Kenne
dy Center for the Performing Arts as a
featured artist of the 2015 DC Jazz Festival. Prior to the
Kennedy center performance Lu spent the Spring of
this year touring Southern Italy headlining Frank Sinatra C
entennial tribute shows with the Antonio Ciacca
Orchestra to rave reviews. Italian promoters and audiences
were so impressed with Sweet Lu
’
s stage presence
and virtuosity that they immediately requested return perfo
rmance dates which he completed July
–
August of
last year.
Here is what critics are saying about
“
Sweet Lu Olutosin
”
“
…
after the first part in a trio, the pianist presented th
e special guest, for the first time in Italy, the voc
alist
Sweet Lu Olutosin. One approach explosives, a mix of soul,
blues, mainstream, soloing style vocalese – then
added with original (Lyrics) texts – a stage presence th
at can warm up the audience, a display of medium and
low register but then able to surprise with successful fora
ys in the tall one with a clear timbre that recalled
the
teaching of soul singer James Ingram
”
.
http://www.napolidavivere.it/2015/03/19/45-eventi-a-napoli-
per-
il
-weekend-
21
–
22
-marzo-2015/
“
Olutosin’s voice is deeply rooted and tinged with just enough bl
ues overtone, to make
Sweet Lou’s Blues,
an
engaging offering, for both the jazz aficionado and newcome
r. Filled with bursting melodies and topped with
Olutosin’s distinctively impassioned voice, he may have j
ust paved the way to new standards in the vocal jazz
idiom
”
.
~ Geannine Reid,
Allaboutjazz.com
“
Olutosin is masterful, filled with ideas within his phrasi
ng, and deeply rooted in blues. The soulfulness of his
well-rounded masculine voice is a beacon in the male jazz
vocal idiom. One voice I hope to hear for many
years to come
“
.
~ H. Allen Williams,
JazzTimes
“Lu Olutosin is a fresh voice, assured and full….Olutosin
at times reminds me of Oscar Brown Jr., in his lyrics,
and Eddie Jefferson in delivery……. the ambiance is rea
l and hip and sticking and anyone with an interest in
vocal jazz should seek this out.”
~ Robert Rusch,
Cadence Magazine
“5.0 out of 5 stars……… A fine new male vocalist –
jazz, blues, and wherever the lyrics take him……….
…The
band swings with a joyous feel, yet grooving. The jazz worl
d welcomes a much needed great, new
vocalist/lyricist who can groove hard and sing love songs i
n the style of Bebop/Post Bop, Jazz/Blues
~ Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) ~
AMAZON.COM
” Sweet Lu Olutosin has a deep rich wonderful voice that will re
mind his listeners of Joe Williams, Joe
Henderson and the best of the big band singers of the 50’s. B
ut Sweet Lu brings his own current style to the CD
and added some clever musical touches to the playlist. He ha
s a great voice and he knows how to deal with a
lyric.
~ Robert Nicosia,
MusicManBlog
