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LAST NIGHT
THE MAR-KEYS

 

 

ATLANTIC 8055 - LAST NIGHT - THE MAR-KEYS

(first issued in 1961, mono only, CD reissue)

Morning After /Diana / Alright O.K. You Win / Sticks and Stones / Misty /Night Before //About Noon /One Degree North /Sack O Woe /Hold It /Ebb Tide / Last Night.

Issued under the Atlantic banner in mono only, the Last Night LP by the Mar-Keys was actually the first Stax recorded LP. I chosed it as "LP of the month" as it seems, at last,  due to be released on CD. It is also through the Last Night hit that I discovered, back in 1962, that there was a tiny Stax label doing wonderful noises, somewhere on the other side of the big pond.

Except the title track itself, which revealed the glory of the Stax sound to the world and some tracks also issued on 45s, this LP shows various styles, ranging from jazzy (Misty, Stack O Woe) to pop (Diana) or just bad! (Ebb Tide, with that horrible bubbles noise). The list of track reveals what was played in the early 60s by the Mar-Keys' during their numerous live gigs, augmented with singer Ronnie Stoots, the man who designed the "swinging stack of discs" blue Stax logo.

ORIGINAL LINER NOTES

   They say that in America we worship youth. If so, it is completely understandable why The Mar-Keys have attracted the enormous following in the short time they have. These young men from Memphis have the youthful good looks, the youthful sound and the youthful spirits that appeal to the teenagers of the country today.

   When Last Night, their first record, was issued, The Mar-Keys were all but unknown outside the Memphis area. Now that Last Night has clicked in such a big way in this country and abroad, and been followed by other hits, The Mar-Keys have made it clear that they are here to stay, and it is my guess that they are going to stay near the top, where they are now.

   The Mar-Keys combo was organized while they were in high school. Originally a four-man group, they played at first for local dances, proms and concerts, and did some work in Memphis night clubs. Now the group has grown to seven in number and travels all over the United States. There is no end to the record hops, TV, theater and night club engagements that they are asked to fill.

   Seen in person, The Mar-Keys have a "personality" that has an irresistible attraction for every audience. That doesn't disguise the fact that they are top-notch musicians. The solo work that you hear on this LP is very impressive; as an exemple, it is one of the freshest, most tightly knit unit I know of.

   This is an album of instrumental music that is just great for dancing. The tunes draw upon a variety of sources: from Paul Anka' rock and roll smash Diana to Cannonball's Sack O Woe, a "soul" jazz classic, from lovely ballad material like Misty to a humorous treatment of Ebb Tide. A sign of The Mar-Keys' own cleffing talents can be seen in the fact that four of the tunes are their own, and these, of course, include their biggest commercial hits.

   From the beginning, The Mar-Keys settle into a comfortable groove, relaxed and swinging. They know what young people today want to hear, and they have put together a thouroughly satisfying collection of instrumentals tailor-made for teen-age tastes. Settle back and enjoy this debut LP by The Mar-Keys, as I have done, like, now!

AL CLARKE, Station WJMO, Cleveland, Ohio


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