CHICAGO BLUES / RHYTHM ‘N BLUES / SOUL

Irving Louis Lattin, vocals and guitar www.myspace.com/irvinglouislatti

Irving Louis Lattin returns to Blues to Bop after his personal success here last year. His amiable personality, warm voice and tasteful guitar playing made him a favourite so this year Irving will have solo spots as well as playing with the Lugano-New York Houseband.

Born and raised in Chicago, Irving first performed in public at the age of thirteen. During his teens he was influenced by artists he saw locally or heard on the radio: people like Mahalia Jackson, the Staple Singers, Muddy Waters and B.B. King but he also listened to members of the British rock-blues invasion like the Rolling Stones. At seventeen he suddenly found he was able to write songs and this talent he now refers to as a “blessing”. In fact, he has composed hundreds if not thousands of jingles, songs and is particularly proud to be a member of a team that composes for chronically sick children.

Chicago bluesfans and musicians consider him as one of their own but Irving insists he has always gone own way and has produced a unique take on contemporary blues while remaining faithful to the tradition.

Irving now lives in Brooklyn but New York music fans know him thanks to his weekly appearances in the Lucille Café, part of the B.B. King Bar & Grill complex near Times Square.