Merrill Staton Choir Kansas' First 100 Years in Song Columbia 1961

Merrill Staton Choir Kansas' First 100 Years in Song Columbia 1961 CAT #XTV 68571

The only real attraction to this LP is the cover. The iconic John Brown painting right there on the front. Talk all you want about Kansas' Old West history, but John Brown would kill you for the right reason. He was a bad-ass and not be crossed.

As for the music and the Merrill Staton Choir, it's okay. Vocal renditions of songs that are historically linked to Kansas. The state song, "Home on the Range", is obviously here. The rest is a little less known. It's all vocal choral work. It gets a bit Broadway at times, there is some instrumentation here and there, but there's probably very few that are interested in this type of thing anymore.

It's hard to place the actual choir. Initially, it appeared as this was a Columbia Records Special release and the Merrill Staton Choir was a canned group of studio singers pumping out these type of albums for all state centennials. A quick major-label cash grab type of thing. However, the Merrill Staton Choir has a discography, often covering Western music. It does appear there is some connection to Kansas here. The choir recorded for Epic and Columbia and apparently was based somewhere in the state.

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

Marilyn Maye A Taste of "Sherry!" RCA 1967

Marilyn Maye A Taste of "Sherry!" RCA 1967 CAT# LPM-3778

Marilyn Maye McLaughlin was born in Wichita, KS, but would begin her singing career in Topeka as child performer in local talent shows.  After her parent's divorced, she spent some time in Des Moines, Iowa, gaining some attention as  teen on radio.  She would later move to Chicago, but quickly come back home to Kansas City.

Performing throughout the Midwest she was discovered by the first show of the Tonight Show, Steve Allen. The relationship landed her a recording contract with RCA and in her prime, she was somewhat of a regular on the Tonight Show appearing 76 times.

This album is typical of her jazz vocal style that is heavily laced with pop.  She's no June Christy or even Julie London.  Rather, she's far more routed in the theater and cabaret traditions than jazz.  She's got a clear, brassy voice, that's suited for the grandiose arrangements that usually surround her.  There's some fun moments on this LP, which represents her early work, "Java" is pretty goofy, "Sherry!" is surprisingly quirky, and her cover of "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin" works well.

Marilyn Maye - Java