Marju Marynel Kuut (1946–2022) began her musical career at the age of 16. She went to accompany a friend to a singing contest held by a band that was searching for a vocalist. Jazz musician and conductor Aleksander Rjabov noticed her and urged her to give it a shot. A few years later, in 1965, she was named the best jazz singer of the Soviet Union by Down Beat. Yet, simply calling her that doesn't capture her essence. She wasn't merely a performer—her work in different roles and the music she presented carried a far greater role in shaping pop music in our cultural space during the 20th century. There are over 400 phonograms at the Estonian Radio archive with her name on it.
Marju’s desire to discover the roots of funk and soul in the US made the conditions of Soviet-occupied Estonia unbearable. The extravagant and untameable Kuut emigrated to Sweden in 1980 and later travelled to Los Angeles. Before and after that, she had an immense influence on a variety of genres—especially as the importer of soul and funk to Estonia—in her roles as a singer, producer, and arranger.
Maryn befriended Ehte and Ingvar Kassuk in 2019, and a musical partnership was forged. They recorded a radio show, shared DJ duties at events, and kept developing ideas. While we were working on both the Groove of ESSR II compilation and this solo compilation project, she passed away. By her request, “Maskeraad” played as the first song at the funeral. A song she wrote together with Apelsin, inspired by Leelo Tungal’s poem. It tells a tale about freedom of expression without having to have a “socially” acceptable mask.
Funk Embassy Records and Microwave Productions are proud to present “Üksi, kuid vabana” — compiled by Maryn herself. The double LP includes 22 tracks that Maryn picked herself to represent her “Marju Kuut” era, recordings before leaving Estonia in 1980. The record was designed by Anna-Liisa Sääsk and pressed at the Vinyl Plant in Tartu on 180g vinyl. A more thorough biography can be read inside, written by Haldi Välimäe (of Haldi & ans. Flamingo). Haldi’s contributed a lot to the legacy of Estonian female artists, Marju Kuut in particular.