Marilyn Maye The Lamp Is Low RCA Victor 1966

Marilyn Maye The Lamp Is Low RCA Victor 1966 CAT# LSP-3626

This was the second LP released by Kansas City vocalist Marilyn Maye in 1966. It attempted to drench her in ballads and to that extent, it doesn't work too well. Her voice is a too big for torch songs and ballads. Maye was better suited for uptempo tunes and theater.

What I love about the copy I found is the fact that it shows how proud people were of the Kansas Citian. I picked it up at a thrift store and whoever had it before kept it like a trophy; it's minty. And not because the prior owner couldn't get down with the tunes, but because Marilyn Maye signed the LP. Maye's autograph is personalized on the backside and reads the following:

"Love to you, Marion. Enjoyed spending the afternoon with you. Thank you for all your help and bless you for enjoying my kinda music. Happiness and all that's marvelous - Marilyn Maye."

I don't know who Marion was, but he or she certainly cherished this LP and whatever relationship they had with Maye. Marion even cut out a magazine review for the LP and taped it to the inner sleeve. What's sad is as much as Marion cherised the LP, years later, it was sadly discarded at a thrift store...I'm just happy I found it.

The Lamp is Low

Marilyn Maye The Second of Maye Live From the Living Room RCA/Victor 1966

Marilyn Maye The Second of Maye Live From the Living Room RCA/Victor 1966 CAT# LSP 3546

The back cover to this LP reads; "You don't need a big orchestra behind you-When you're Marilyn Maye." To extent, it's right, she does have a booming voice. This a live LP (I'm sure with tons of overdub) recorded with a quintet fronted by Sammy Tucker.

It's a cool record, her voice is way out front and seems "live" enough.  It's also very 1966.  Not space-age, bachelor-pad 1966.  It's what you'd expect from female jazz vocal of the era.  Very cocktail hour, almost lounge, but still holding onto jazz just enough to not go pop.

Also, if you're wondering, it's her second album for RCA/Victor.  But, you probably figured that out from the clever title.

Marilyn Maye The Happiest Sound in Town RCA/Victor 1968

Marilyn Maye The Happiest Sound in Town RCA/Victor 1968 CAT# LSP-4054

Found this at a garage sale down the street.  Boxes of easy listening and Christmas records.  There may have been a few Beatles LPs before I got there, there probably was a few things like Gerry and the Pacemakers, but overall, there was nothing cool.  There was this, though.  Not considered a cool record to anyone, but seeing how she's local, it was my lone purchase.

Should be easy to buy a record for a dollar at a garage sale, but, no.  You have to talk about why you are purchasing the record, and field the question, "Do you still have a record player?"  Or, "What do you do with all these old records?"  Since Marilyn Maye is from KC and proud about it, this purchase took a considerable amount of time.

First the homeowner selling the record got excited and stated, "Oh, Marilyn Maye, I know her!"  That was genuinely interesting so I replied thinking there was maybe a family relation.  No, instead I got, "Well, she's local, I don't know her, but..."  Oh good, you don't know her, can I have my change, now?  "But, my brother's girlfriend used to have a brother that dated her years ago.  She's still around though, we always go see her perform at the community college."  Wow, terribly interesting, but, to her benefit, she was right, Marilyn Maye does perform at the Johnson County Community College from time to time...she should kept the record and asked her to sign at the next one she went to.

The album is enjoyable.  It does get over-the-top Hollywood at times, but the bulk of the first side and some of the second are based in a much more traditional vocal jazz approach.  Plus, she puts a ton of pzazz in her rendition of the classic tune, "Kansas City."

Marilyn Maye Meet marvelous Marilyn Maye RCA/Victor 1965

Marilyn Maye Meet marvelous Marilyn Maye RCA/Victor 1965 CAT# LPM-3997

This is Marilyn Maye's debut for RCA.  TV personality and the guy who discovered Maye pens the back cover and gushes on and on about her greatness.  The LP actually boosts some talented arrangers drawing both from Don Costa and Manny Albam, but all in all, just really pop vocal tracks with a singer that has a background more in theater than jazz.

The theatrical value of her voice and the arrangements on this LP give it a very big showbiz sound.  Highlights include the uptempo "Get Me To the Church on Time," the simple bass line vocal pairing of "Washington Square" until it gets full-blown, her rendition of "Take Five" is fun, outside of that, many ballads, nothing that stands out too much or has become the definitive version of a song.

I Love You Today