Hank Marr

Listen/Download Hank Marr – White House Party

Greetings all

What say we all get over the hump with a certified, Hammond organ swinger?

Hank Marr was one of the great, exalted past masters of the greasy R&B/soul jazz organ 45.

He recorded a grip of sides (45s and lps) for Federal in early to mid 60s for Federal and King, before landing at Detroit’s storied Wingate label for one and a half 45s in 1966.

I remember the first time I was exposed to this little stick of dynamite, courtesy of my old friend Haim.

It took me a while to score myself a copy of this banger, but it has held a place of honor in my record box ever since.

Released in 1966, ‘White House Party’ (and its most excellent flip, ‘The Out Crowd’) is without question one of the finest, swingingest, slabs of Mod soul ever committed to vinyl.

While I have never been able to track down any detailed session information, my assumption has always been – spurred on by the sounds in the grooves – that this was a Detroit session (there are no production credits on the 45).

‘White House Party’ is especially groovy for all of the vocal interjections on the record, which (for the younger folks out there) are references to the presidency of Texan Lyndon Johnson, thus the ‘meanwhile, back at the ranch’ and ‘champagne and barbecued ribs’ shout outs.

It is a dance floor killer of the first order, with an aggressive arrangement (dig the way the bass and the horns push the record along behind Marr’s Hammond).

Marr also split a 45 with Sonny Stitt (Marr’s Groove b/w Stitt’s Groove, which has the catalog number just before ‘White House Party’) but as far as I can tell never had the opportunity to expand (at the time) on the remarkable sounds on these 45s.

Marr continued to perform (as well as teach) and recorded through the 80s and 90s, passing away in 2004 at the age of 77.

‘White House Party’ is the rarest of Marr’s 45s (it’s also, at least in my opinion, his best) and seems to be trading hands for around a C-note these days.

I hope you dig the sounds, and I’ll see you all on Friday.

Keep the faith

Larry

 

 

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Also, make sure that you check out the links below to the Be The Match Foundation and POAC (click on the logos for more info).

 

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.