SECTION ONE

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COLUMN 105, MAY 1, 2004
(Copyright © 2004 The Blacklisted Journalist)

AT THE BOWERY POETRY CLUB
MAY 27 MULTICULTURAL MUSIC JAM SESSION AND BOOKSIGNING PARTY

PAGE FIVE

LADELL MCLIN  

Ladell McLin started playing guitar at the age of 12. His father was a known jazz drummer and at age 2, to be near his Dad, would climb into the open back of his father's bass drum with a pillow and sleep there while his father practiced.

His brother was Andre Cotton, the blues drummer. Ladell was given the blues name "Buddy James" by Junior Wells, back in Chicago when he first heard him at the Checkerboard Lounge. Junior said, "Boy, you Funky with that guitar, play some blues for me, you sound like a Little bit Buddy Guy and a little bit like James Browns' guitar boys, we should call you Buddy James." He used this name for a while but has gone back to his real name since Junior died.

At a very young age, Ladell was asked to play the Chicago Blues Festival. His guest appearance was with a band whose members included Pine Top Perkins, Fernando Jones, Derek Trucks and Lurrie Bell (Carey's son).

Since then, his credits include having backed up Buddy Guy, KoKo Taylor, John Primer, Wayne Baker Brooks, Joan Baby and Johnny Guitar Watson. He was in the house band at Buddy Guy Legends with George Baze in Chicago, which led him to touring with Eddie Burks, and his first appearance in New York, at Tramps.

Ladell has just come off a world tour with James Blood Ulmer, the Grammy nominee for best Blues for his Memphis Blood Band produced by Vernon Reid. He played at the Apollo Theater for the Jazz Foundation's Emergency Fund with Buddy Miles (from Hendrix's original band), this October 16th, 2003.

Ladell McLin was also featured at Avery Fisher Hall this past spring for a World Music Benefit that landed him on CNN news. He has been compared to Hendrix, and best described as a cross between Buddy Guy, bit of Stevie Ray and Jimi with a lot of cosmic consciousness that takes you traveling when you listen to his playing with an unbearable soulful blues guitar feel. His hellified solos leave you unable to exhale until he's through with you.

At the Apollo Theatre during the concert that was recently held to benefit the Jazz Musicians' Emergency Fund, hosted by Bill Cosby and included George Benson and about 40 Jazz Legends who came out to raise money. When Benson heard Ladell, he said, "That boy can play" and took his phone number.

He has appeared at Lenox Lounge in Harlem and has made guest appearances at BB King's. His band features him on vocals, has been known to have surprise guests sit in such as Jimmy Norman, one of the singers from the Coasters, who wrote TIME IS ON MY SIDE for the Stones, and many tunes for Hendrix and Bob Marley.

Ladell McLin headlined at the Cape May Jazz Festival. All three shows sold out and over $600 worth of CDs were sold.

Ladell McLin is the last of the line of true Chicago Royalty blues men. He is the last of the line of real-deal brother blues guitarists in an art form that is not producing a new generation of true blues artists who had the chance to inhale the music from the originals, Ladell was weaned on blues and is taking it to the next level trying to fit his sound into the new world.  ##

For more bios, click here for Page Six.

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