Harlem: Bill Clinton Jam Overlooks Legend

Although the semi-organized ceremonies intended to welcome Bill Clinton to his new office space in Harlem were generally good-natured, one notable saxophone player was absent from the jam session that included Clinton and several other Harlem musicians. Lonnie Youngblood, who has been known as Harlem's sax-playing prince since the early 1960s, and who performs on Saturdays at Sylvia's, a famous Harlem soul-food spot, was upset that nobody invited him to the festivities.

It would make sense that a local saxophone legend would be on the guest list, especially since the sax is Clinton's instrument of choice. But, alas, Bill and his organizers stepped in it again and somehow managed to overlook one of the musical leaders of the fabled New York City neighborhood. Youngblood worked his way to prominence through a long-running gig at Small's Paradise, which was the hottest club in Harlem in the early 60s, when Lonnie was making his mark on the Harlem music scene. "If you worked Small's," Youngblood said, "you were working the top of the ladder."

Lonnie was also linked with Jimi Hendrix, and the two greats collaborated on a number of projects before and during Jimi's meteoric rise to Rock 'n Roll immortality. Back in those early days, Jimi Hendrix often joined Youngblood when he fronted the group Lonnie Youngblood and the Blood Brothers. Lonnie and Jimi also share a co-writing credit for "Wipe the Sweat Off My Brow" and worked together on several tapes.