Kai Warner was the stage name of Werner Last (27 October 1926 – 9 July 1982), a German bandleader and musician, and the brother of James Last and Robert Last.
Born in Bremen, Warner took piano lessons from Ernst Weelen and received theory instruction from the Max Reger and Engelbert Humperdinck student Richard Bulling.
After the war, Werner Last appeared as a trombonist along with his brothers Hans (bassist, later known as James Last) and Robert Last (drummer) in Bremen music halls and in the American clubs in the vicinity of Bremerhaven. At this point, he was discovered by the composer and manager Friedrich Meyer and hired for the newly formed dance orchestra of Radio Bremen.
The Last brothers became well known as members of the Last-Becker Ensemble. Warner Last found his first success as an arranger. After the disbandment of the Bremen dance orchestra in 1948, he played for a time in a 12-man band, then went to seek his fortune in the USA. Before this, he married the 18-year-old Hjördis Harlow, an American of Norwegian descent. From this marriage came two sons, Steven and Warner.
In the USA, Warner had to make his living as a casual labourer for several months before he was admitted into the New York musician’s union. As a trombonist, he belonged to several renowned big bands. As well, he studied music theory at New York University with Schillinger professor Rudolf Schramm.
In 1958, Warner Last returned to Germany and arranged numerous film scores. In 1966 he signed a contract as a producer with Polydor; he discovered and produced Renate Kern. As Kai Warner, he started his own orchestra, which included many musicians who played with James Last (such as his brother Robert Last, who had already played drums on the earliest James Last sessions). In 1975, Kai Warner switched from Polydor to Philips.
Besides his LPs like Pops For Minis, Happy Together, Goldtimer 1 and 2, his name is forever linked with the Go-In series, which continued later on Philips under the name Go-In Party.
Other albums: So In Love, Love Songs, Romantic Songs, Wer recht in Freuden tanzen will, Warner Plays Wagner, Golden Violins, Volkslieder Festival, On The Road To Philadelphia, Swingin’ Johann, Salsoul Explosion, A Glass Of Champagne, Dance To The Beatles, Zum Tanz Marsch Marsch, Polka wie noch nie, Oriental Nights, It’s Country Time, and naturally the Christmas album Christmas Party.
He also made several recordings with his Kai Warner Singers, a mixed choir made up of six women and six men often accompanied only by a rhythm section, like Ray Conniff used to do it in his 70s albums. He died in Hamburg aged 55.
Recordings by Kai Warner you can hear at Instrumentals Forever:
| A Hard Day’s Night |
| A Taste Of Honey |
| A Very Precious Love |
| A Whiter Shade Of Pale |
| Aber am Abend da spielt der Zigeuner – In Manuels Taverne – Hey Rock And Roll |
| Alley Cat |
| Als op Capri de rozentuinen bloeien – Zonnig Madeira – Veel mooier dan het mooiste schilderij |
| Als sterren flonk’ren – Een heel klein huisje met een tuintje – Ik heb een huis met een tuintje |
| Am stillen Herd in Winterszeit (from ”Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg”) |
| American Pie |
| Anchors Away |
| Anneliese |
| Apache |
| Arrivederci Roma |
| Bahama Mama |
| Beautiful Sunday |
| Beg Steal Or Borrow |
| Black Bottom – Margie -Somebody Stole My Gal – I’m Sitting On Top Of The World |
| Black is Black |
| Blue Bayou |
| Blue Hawaii |
| Brazil |
| Can`t Buy My Love |
| Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love Babe |
| Can’t Help Falling In Love |
| Capri Serenade |
| Capri-Fischer |
| Carolina In The Morning – Ain’t She Sweet – Virginia |
| Carribean Summer |
| Carry Me Back To Old Virginia – Dream – Sentimental Journey |
| Cast Your Fate To The Wind |
| Chanson d’amour |
| Charly |
| Cherokee |
| Come Back Home – You Can Get It If You Really Want – Sally |
| Crazy |
| Cuando Sali De Cuba – Love Is Blue – Young Girl |
| Dance The Kung Fu |
| Dancing On The Shore |
| Dancing On The Shore |
| Dardanella |
| Days Of Wine And Roses – Hold Me – Lights Out |
| De postkoets – Hotsjek – Flip de fluiter |
| Delilah – Congratulations – A Banda |
| Detroit City |
| Diana |
| Dir Töne Lob (from ”Tannhäuser”) |
| Dirty Ol’ Man |
| Do You Ever Think Of Me – Whispering – Siboney |
| Doctor’s Orders |
| Dolannes Melody |
| Don Diri Don – La-La-La – Quando M’Innamoro |
| Don’t Go To Reno |
| Dreaming Desert |
| Eens zal de Betuwe – Breng eens een zonnetje – Ik ben verliefd op een keukenmeid |
| Einzug der Gäste auf der Wartburg (from ”Tannhäuser”) |
| El Garbanzo |
| Eva Marie |
| Everybody Needs Somebody – Candida – Cracklin Rosie |
| Face To Face – In Old Mexico – Ich hab’ die Liebe verspielt in Monte Carlo |
| Fever |
| Flower-Power-Kleid – Arrivederci Hans – Lieber mal weinen im Glück |
| Fly Butterfly |
| For Once In My Life |
| Fuchsgraben Polka |
| Funky Harem (bonustrack) |
| Get Back |
| Golden Earrings (& Tommy Reilly) |
| Good Bye Is Not Forever |
| Gringo |
| Hallelujah – ‘s Wonderful – Happy Days Are Here Again |
| Hang On Sloopy |
| Happy Cowboy |
| Happy Together |
| Harlekin – Der Mond vom Fudschijama – Mama |
| Hawaiian War Chant |
| He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother |
| Heart Of Gold |
| Heidi |
| Help Me Make It Through The Night |
| Herz-Schmerz-Polka |
| Heuhupfer |
| Hey Jude |
| Hindustan |
| Honey Honey – Wären Tränen aus Gold – Ring Ring |
| I Can’t Give You Anything But Love – Salome – Yes Sir That’s My Baby |
| I Kiss Your Hand Madame – Handsome Gigolo |
| I Love You Baby |
| I Only Have Eyes For You |
| I Shot The Sheriff – Rock Your Baby |
| I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now |
| Ich bin verliebt in die Liebe – Lookin’ Out My Back Door – Sophia Loren |
| Ich hab’ geträumt das Gluck kam heut’ zu mir – Oh wann kommst Du – What Have They Done To My Song Ma |
| Ich kauf’ mir lieber einen Tirolerhut |
| Ich leb’ nur für dich allein – She – Sundown |
| If I Loved You – Ramblin’ Rose – Happy Heart |
| If I Only Had Time – Meine Welt ist schön |
| If It’s All The Same To You (& Tommy Reilly) |
| I’ll Be Seeing You – Strangers In The Night – Spanish Eyes |
| I’ll Be There – Und Wenn ein neuer Tag erwacht |
| I’ll Remember Summer |
| I’m A Believer |
| I’m Coming Home |
| I’m Not Crying |
| I’m So Thankful |
| In A Persian Market |
| It Had To Be You – Diane – Makin’ Whoopee |
| It’s Country Time |
| Ja mir san mit’m Radl da |
| Jamal (Young Love) |
| Jambalaya |
| Jungle-Drums |
| Lady Madonna |
| Larisa’s Theme |
| Let Me Call You Sweetheart |
| Let’s Have A Party |
| Lieber Maler male mir – 99 99 Prozent – Wärst du doch in Düsseldorf geblieben |
| Liechtensteiner Polka |
| Lied an den Abendstern (from ”Tannhäuser”) |
| Lingering On |
| Lisbon Antiqua |
| Little Susu |
| Lohengrin |
| Lotar’s Theme |
| Love In Bloom |
| Love Is Here To Stay |
| Love Is In The Air |
| Love Me Tender |
| Love’s Theme |
| Magic Is The Moonlight |
| Mame – Five Minutes More – Hello Dolly |
| Maria-Marie |
| Marianka |
| Mem’ries Of Napoli |
| Mexican Road |
| Michelle |
| Middellandse zee – Marigot – Deep in mijn hart |
| Mister Sandman – Play A Simple Melody – C’est magnifique |
| Montego Bay |
| Moonlight And Roses |
| More |
| Morgendlich leuchtend in rosigem Schein (from ”Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg”) |
| Moscow By Night |
| Mustapha |
| My Bonnie Is Over The Ocean |
| My Cherie Amour |
| My Happiness – Blueberry Hill |
| Now I Know |
| On The Road To Philadelphia |
| One Way Wind |
| Orientale |
| Over 25 jaar – Op de woelige baren |
| Penny Lane |
| Penny-Polka |
| Pensionärs Polka |
| Petite fleur |
| Poppa Joe |
| Powidltatschkerln |
| Raddampfer-Polka |
| Ramona – My Heart Stood Still |
| Ra-Ta-Ta |
| Ring Of Fire |
| Rio Rita – Ma He’s Making Eyes At Me – Toot Toot Tootsie |
| River Song |
| Rivers Of Babylon |
| Romeo |
| Rose Marie – Me And My Shadow |
| Ruby Don’t Take Your Love Town |
| Sabre Dance (Säbeltanz) |
| Sacramento |
| Samson And Delilah |
| San Antonio Rose |
| Saturday Rolling Around |
| Schützenliesl |
| Sealed With A Kiss |
| Seasons In The Sun |
| Secret Love |
| Seemann |
| Sentimental Me |
| Shame Shame Shame |
| Sheik Of Araby |
| Shish-Kebab |
| Show Me The Way To Go Home |
| Show Me The Way To Go Home – Ay Ay Ay – Farewell Blues |
| Silence Is Golden |
| Singing The Blues |
| Snoezepoes – Door de nacht klinkt een lied – Dag schatteboutje |
| So lang’ es Liebe gibt – Ein Tag im September |
| Somethin’ Stupid |
| Something – Du bist anders – Goodbye My Love |
| Sometimes Cowgirls Get The Blues |
| Sommernacht – Wenn du mal einsam bist – Gold auf der Strasse |
| Spanish Eyes |
| Spanish Harlem |
| Spanish Love Song |
| Stardust – Creole Love Call |
| Steuermannslied (from ”Der fliegende Holländer”) |
| Strike Up The Band – Charleston – When The Saints Go Marching In |
| Sun Of Jamaica |
| Sunny |
| Suzanne Suzanne |
| Sweet City Woman |
| Sweet Sue – Who’s Sorry Now – Some Of These Days |
| Sweetheart – Un Rayo de Sol – Soolaimon |
| ‘t Was een zomernachtsfeest – Bloesem van seringen |
| T.S.O.P. |
| Taboo |
| Take It Easy altes Haus |
| Tammy |
| Tannhäuser |
| Tea For Two – My Melancholy Baby – The Birth Of The Blues |
| Tender Feeling |
| The Beat Goes On |
| The Belly Dancer |
| The Entertainer – Theo wir fahren nach Lodz |
| The Gambler |
| The Girl On The Billboard |
| The Most Beautiful Girl |
| The Most Beautiful Girl – Charly – Seasons In The Sun |
| The Sheik of Araby |
| The Touch Of Your Lips |
| Theme from ”A Summer Place” |
| Then He Kissed Her |
| There’s Yes Yes In Your Eyes |
| Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer – Midnight In Moscow – All My Loving |
| Today Tomorrow And Forever |
| Tonight – Nur ein Kuss Maddalena – The Night Chicago Died |
| Treulich geführt ziehet dahin (Brautchor) (from ”Lohengrin”) |
| Trinidad |
| True Love – Around The World |
| Um Um Um Um Um Um |
| Venus |
| Venus Waltz |
| Verde |
| Warum willst Du weinen – Es geht mir gut Chérie – Der Mann auf dem Zehnmarkschein |
| Waterloo – Be My Girl – My Boy Lollypop |
| We Can Work It Out |
| Wein und Brot des letzten Mahles (from ”Parsifal”) |
| Weltenbummler |
| Wenn der weisse Flieder wieder blüht – My Bonnie Is Over The Ocean – Down By The Riverside |
| What A Wonderful World – Traurigsein lohnt sich nicht |
| Wheels |
| When Day Is Done – Take Me In Your Arms – Auf Wiederseh’n My Dear |
| When Joey Comes Around |
| When Will I See You Again |
| When Your Lover Has Gone |
| When You’re Smiling – Say It With Music – If You Knew Suzie |
| Winter’s Spring |
| Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond (from ”Die Walküre”) |
| Wir tanzen wieder Polka |
| With A Little Help From My Friends |
| Wonderful World Beautiful People |
| Wooly Bully |
| Yester-Me Yester-You Yester-Day |
| You Can Get It If You Really Want |
| You’re The First The Last My Everything |
| Zuiderzee blues – Zuiderzee ballade – Een dansliedje deint |