Hank Marr – Sounds From The Marr-Ket Place
- Drew Layman
- Jul 7
- 4 min read
When guitarist James Blood Ulmer passed away on June 3, many tributes noted Hank Marr's Sounds From The Marr-Ket Place as his recording debut. Beyond that, however, remarkably little is known for certain about what may be Hank Marr's finest album. The personnel remain uncredited and the accepted recording date doesn't hold up particularly well under scrutiny.
King Records – 1025
1968
Several years ago, I reached out to Ulmer through Facebook Messenger because he was likely the only person who could confirm who actually played on the session. The album's liner notes list no personnel, and published sources differ on who actually played on the session. I was surprised to receive a quick response saying my question would be forwarded to James, while cautioning that he might not remember. "Please wait some days."
I never heard back, which I took to mean he couldn't recall the session. I left it at that. Still, every published Ulmer discography I've found includes Sounds From The Marr-Ket Place, and nothing from Ulmer's own recollections contradicts that attribution. It's certainly the most cohesive artistic statement Marr produced during his time on King Records. But remarkably little is known about the album, and much of what's been written is either incomplete or simply wrong.
Most sources date the Marr-Ket Place session to 1964, with a 1967 or 1968 release. That timeline appears to stem largely from Michel Ruppli's definitive The King Labels. However, Ruppli's sessionography lists only the year and provides no recording date, location or personnel.
The evidence makes a 1964 recording date difficult to support. Wilbert Longmire remained Marr's guitarist through at least June 1964 and Marr was still working regularly with Rusty Bryant in a trio with Taylor Orr through December of that year. The studio side of Marr's 1965 release On And Off Stage was recorded on October 29 1964. Most accounts don't place James Blood Ulmer in Columbus until 1965. The earliest reference I've found naming the Marr-Ulmer-George Adams lineup is their July 1966 European tour.
Further evidence appears in the March 23, 1967 issue of Down Beat, which lists Marr, Ulmer and Adams appearing at the Queen of Clubs in Indianapolis from January 16-28. Curiously, the notice identifies the drummer as Chick Richardson—the only reference I've found linking Richardson with Marr. Richardson appears to have been a possibly Indianapolis-based drummer who had worked with the Stan Hunter Quartet at the Hub-Bub in 1964. The Indianapolis Recorder ad billed Marr's quartet as "direct from long tour." There is very little info available about Richardson, although it appears he was sometimes referred to as Chink Richardson.
Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 79, notes that Marr's group entered the studio following its European tour, placing the session in late 1966 or early 1967. That timeline also makes George Adams the logical choice on saxophone. Listeners with better ears than mine generally hear Adams rather than Bryant, Adams is known to have been touring with Marr and Ulmer at the time, and Bryant was transitioning to Prestige around this period.
Musically, Marr-Ket Place isn't a dramatic departure from Marr's earlier King recordings. The arrangements remain concise, though the rhythm section feels more aggressive. The drumming is busy enough that I'd guess it isn't Taylor Orr.
For a guitarist who would later become known for his singular style, Ulmer plays surprisingly conventionally here. His tone and phrasing display a maturity that belies his youth. You can hear the influence of Wes Montgomery, but even at this early stage Ulmer's voice is beginning to emerge, especially in his sharp, biting tone.
Still, this is unmistakably Hank Marr's album. He sounds energized by the new band, delivering some of the most soulful and fiery organ playing of his King years. Look no further than "Smothered Soul," where the unison guitar and saxophone riff lays the foundation for one of Marr's most exciting solos on record. Ulmer follows with a blistering lead of his own, making the album's longest track—just over five minutes—one of its finest moments.
More than half a century later, Sounds From The Marr-Ket Place remains something of an enigma. The exact recording date and complete personnel may never be known with certainty. Fortunately, the music doesn't depend on having all the answers. Whatever the circumstances of the session, Hank Marr assembled a remarkable band and captured one of the finest recordings of his career.
Tracklist
Credits
Organ [Hammond], Arranged By – Hank Marr
Guitar [Uncredited] – James Blood Ulmer
Saxophone [Uncredited] – George Adams
Drums [Uncredited] - Chick Richardson(?), Taylor Orr(?)
Producer, Edited By, Liner Notes – Gene Redd
Audio – J. Deak, R. Lenhoff
Cover Design – Bill Hughes
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