Kai Warner

Kai Warner (born October 27, 1926 in Bremen , † July 9, 1982 in Hamburg ), real name Werner Last , was a German orchestra conductor, producer, arranger and composer.

Life

Warner took piano lessons from Ernst Weelen, he received theoretical lessons from the Reger and Humperdinck pupil Richard Bulling.

After the end of the war, Werner Last appeared as a trombonist together with his brothers Hans Last (bassist, later known as James Last ) and Robert Last (drummer) in Bremer Varietes and American clubs in Bremerhaven and the surrounding area. He also received private lessons in accordion and piano playing. They were discovered by the composer and manager Friedrich Meyer and engaged for the Bremen broadcaster's dance orchestra, which was to be founded. The Last brothers also became known as members of the Last-Becker Ensemble , which existed until 1953. Werner Last celebrated his first successes as an arranger. After the Bremen dance orchestra was dissolved, he played in a 12-man band for some time, later he tried his luck in the USA. He previously married 18-year-old Hjördis Harlow, an American of Norwegian origin. The sons Steven and Werner emerged from this marriage. Werner Last junior also works as a band leader; his “Last Ballroom Orchestra” celebrates success.

In the United States, Werner Last had to earn a living doing odd jobs for a few months before he was accepted into a New York musicians' union (Local 802). This gave him a license to play as a musician. As a trombonist, he was a member of various renowned big bands . He also studied music theory with Schillinger Professor Rudolf Schramm at the City University of New York .

In 1958 Werner Last returned to Germany and arranged numerous film music . In 1966 he received a Polydor -Vertrag as a producer, he discovered and produced Renate Kern (LP productions Lieber times crying in Fortunately , My world is beautiful , as well as numerous single releases with compositions by Kai Warner, z. B. Rejoice but already to the next summer , 1990 , superman , some day , come on let's dance , let the sunshine ). He founded his own orchestra as Kai Warner, in which many of James Last's musicians played (including Rick Kiefer , Manfred Moch, Ole Holmquist and Warner's brother Robert Last, who was on drums when James Last was first cast). In 1975 Kai Warner switched from Polydor to the Philips label, u. a. to turn away from the competition of his brother, who also published on Polydor. Already the first Philips production ( On the Road to Philadelphia ) under the common roof of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft stood out from earlier Polydor releases, which were more pop-style, due to the dominant American-influenced disco sound.

After his first own LP, Pops for Minis , he was mainly associated with the Go in series , which was continued by Philips from 1975 under the name Go in Party . From the late 1970s until his untimely death, Warner also recorded LPs with pure standard dance music ( Kai Warner asks to dance ). One of his last recordings was a homage to the swing era ( Swingtime Forever ).

He also made a number of recordings with his Kai Warner Singers , which consisted of a mixed choir of six women and six men and were often only accompanied by one rhythm section. In the late 1960s, Warner also worked with harmonica virtuoso Tommy Reilly on two rare LP productions ( Melody Fair , Latin Harmonica ).

LP releases from 1966 to 1982

1966

• Pops For Minis 184 074

1967

• Gold timer 249 159
• Happy Together 184 090
• Dancing On The Shore 249 198

1968

• Happy Days (Goldtimer II) 249 222
• Happy Together Again 249 223
• Go In (I) 249 244
• Better to cry in happiness (with Renate Kern) 249 261
• Melody Fair (with Tommy Reilly) 222 002

1969

• So In Love 184 314
• Go In (2) 249 303
• Go In (3) 249 339
• My world is beautiful (with Renate Kern) 249 341

1970

• Latin Harmonica (with Tommy Reilly) 184 367
• Go In (4) 2371 002
• Love Songs 2371 026
• Go In (5) 2371 061
• Happy Songs 2371 073
• Music for dancing and dreaming (compilation) 2416 001
• Star portrait Kai Warner (Compilation) 2638 012
• Romantic Songs 2371 116

1971

• Go In (6) 2371 119
• Who wants to dance right in joy 2371 137
• In Scandinavia 2371
• Kai Warner - HIFI Stereo (Compilation) 2371 162
• Let's Go In (7) 2371 175
• Warner Plays Wagner 2371 195
• Met de Postkoets door Nederland 2371 212

1972

• Let's Go In (8) 2371 240
• The Best Of Go In (2 LP) 2634 008
• Kai Warner Singers - Happy Together 2634 022
• Well, the time has come ... 2371 255
• Poppa Joe's Party 2371 282
• Let's Go In (9) 2371 301
• Folk songs festival (music without borders) 2371 318

1973

• Go In '73 2371 359
• Let's dance happily 2371 381
• Golden Oldies 2371 383
• A Touch Of Yesterday 2371 391
• Go In '73 / 2 2371 417
• Summer Dancing 2371 420

1974

• Kai Warner Presents POWER HITS 2371 469
• Go In - The 28 best from the hit parades 2371 475
• Golden Violins - HIFI Stereo Festival 2371 507
• Kai Warner's Music-Box 2417 104

1975

• 6305 243. Go In Party (1)
• On The Road To Philadelphia 6305 251
• Christmas Party International 6305 276
• Swingin 'Johann 6305 281
• 6305 292. Go In Party (2)

1976

• Salsoul Explosion 6305 298
• A Glass Of Champagne 6305 305
• Dance to the Beatles 6305 308
• To the dance march march! 6305 314
• The dance party of the year (compilation) 6623 098
• Polka like never before 6305 324

1977

• House Party (20 Top Hits) 9286 762
• 6305 327. Go In Party (3)
• Disco '78 6305 333
• A Taste Of Hits 6305 3
• 25 Instrumental World Hits (Compilation) 6623 101

1978

• Oriental Nights 6305 359
• Polka like never before, episode 2 6305 367
• Kai Warner asks for a dance (1) 6305 379
• 6305 391. Go In Party (4)

1979

• Kai Warner asks for a dance (2) 6305 397
• Samba Y Sol 6305 403
• Kai Warner asks for a dance (3) 6305 417
• It's Country Time 6305 424

1980

• It's Reggae Time 6305 429
• Romantic Melodies From Hollywood 6435 063
• Kai Warner asks for a dance (4) 6435 064
• Dance again 6435 075

1981

• Kai Warner asks for a dance (5) 6435 095
• Swingtime Forever 6435 107

1982

• Kai Warner asks to dance (6) 6435 154 (last album)

CD publications

Only a fraction of Warner's recordings have appeared on CD so far. In 2009, the songs On the Road to Philadelphia and Salsoul Motion were released on the Disco Jazz sampler as part of the Universal Jazz Club series . In the same series, the compilation The Fantastic Sound of Kai Warner was released in November 2009 with 26 recordings from his early Polydor years (1966–1970). In July 2011, Warner's Disco Party followed again in the jazz club series with 20 tracks from Warner's time at the Philips label.

• Warner's Disco Party (Boutique 533 284-2 DE 2011)
• Golden Melodies - Instrumental Highlights (3CD set Mercury 528 650-2 DE 1995)
• The Holland Souvenir Collection (Met de postkoets door Nederland) (Polydor 519 932-2 NL 1993)
• The Fantastic Sound Of Kai Warner (Polydor 532 280-3 DE 2009)
• Golden Dance Melodies (PolyGram 512 383-2 NL 1992)
• Crème de la Crème, Vol. 2 (2CD set Riviera Rhythm RR-2CD97772 UK 2004)
• Kai Warner's Ballroom Collection For Slowfox Dancing, Vol. 1 (Zeppelin Records / Polymedia ZEP-2201/516 236-2 DE)
• Kai Warner's Ballroom Collection For Slow Waltz, Tango, Quickstep and Viennese Waltz Dancing, Vol. 2 (Zeppelin Records / Polymedia ZEP-2202/516 237-2 DE)
• Kai Warner's Latin Collection For Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba, Paso Doble and Jive Dancing, Vol. 3 (Zeppelin Records / Polymedia ZEP-2203/516 238-2 DE)

Blurb

• From the blurb of the double LP star portrait (Stereo 2638 012), Polydor 1970:

Anyone who knows the hit industry a little knows that predictions of success are almost as difficult as predictions by meteorologists. Although to the outsider it seems that there is a relatively fixed structure of supply and demand that changing it would provide a sure recipe for success. Fortunately, there are enough gaps for newcomers of all styles. On one condition: that they can do something. And so experts were in no way surprised when a new name began to shine in the musical sky a few years ago: Kai Warner.

• From the blurb of the LP production "Swingtime Forever" (Stereo 6435 107) Philips 1981:

Kai Warner is still following the recipe of his New York music professor: In the beginning there was rhythm. It is not a secondary but the main one! This long-playing record by Kai Warner proves it. [...] With this long-playing record, Kai Warner has set a monument to music that will be unforgettable.

Filmography (selection)

• 1969: Helgalein

Radio plays

• 1966/2013: Sándor Ferenczy : The gentlemen ask for cash - Director: Sándor Ferenczy (detective radio play - Audio Factory)

Web links

• Works by and about Kai Warner in the catalog of the German National Library