Maynard Ferguson

Artist: Maynard Ferguson
Label: Wounded Bird Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 664140111721
EAN: 0664140111721
ASIN: B0009NSDK2

Release Date: 2005-06-21

Related Categories:

Bebop General

| Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

Smooth Jazz

| Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop

| Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Listmania:

Maynard Ferguson's stratospheric career -- in chronological order
Ear Compartamentalizations

Tracks:

Move Over
Fire And Rain
Aquarius
The Serpent
My Sweet Lord
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Your Song
Stoney End
Living In The Past

Similar Items:

M.F. Horn
M.F.Horn 2 & The Ballad Style of Maynard Ferguson
Live at the Top
New Vintage
Carnival

Customer Reviews:

Not Typical Maynard but a Overall Good Release.......2007-03-10

This was the very first Maynard record I ever purchased. And even after all the many other records/tapes/CD's I've bought over the years, even after all the concerts I was blessed to see, this is still a great listen.

This would not be considered a typical Maynard Ferguson Release. While there are times that he gets up into the upper register it doesn't seem to be the main focus of this effort. Most of the music could be considered "pop" in nature with songs like "Fire & Rain", "Bridge Over Trouble Waters", and "Stone End" but the arrangements are outstanding. For me, this album's strength rides on two pieces, "Move Over" & The Serphent". Move Over is the first song on the album and really gets your blood rushing. In The Serphent Maynard brings out the valve trombone. The piece starts slowly and begins to increase in intensity until the whole band is on fire. Still one of my favorite Maynard pieces.

There you have it. Although it doesn't come close to Chameleon standards, or even These Cats Can Swing it is still well worth adding it to your Maynard collection.

Pardon me while I gush..........2005-11-13

This CD rates 5 stars (which is also the rating it was given in Downbeat Magazine when the album was reviewed there when it first came out). Clean reproduction of one of Maynard Ferguson's best albums from the 70's. Purists may quibble that the album lacks straight-ahead jazz since it is more commercially oriented than some of his other big band/jazz albums. But each and every arrangement swings!

Since all the tracks but one are covers of pop songs (which were on the charts around that time), the album is very accessable to a neophite big band jazz listener. There are several unique interpretations of popular songs of the period. Who would of thought "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor could swing. Janis Joplin's "Move Over" is like an early fusion jazz tune with enough cowbell to please even "famed record producer" Bruce Dickinson (yes... THE Bruce Dickinson). Then you have great interpretations of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord", Elton John's "Your Song", Laura Nyro's "Stoney End", Jethro Tull's "Living in the Past" (which came out on this album several years before Jethro Tull released it as a single), Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and "Aquarius" from the Musical by the same name with an intro of Indian-Hindu style music.

There is one original track, Keith Mansfield's "The Serpent", again an early jazz fusion piece. You have Maynard playing clean and exact with that great range of his. He solos on trumpet and valve trombone (I am not sure if he was using the Superbone at this point or not).

Which brings me to my only complaint - no liner notes other than reprints of the original album cover (front and back). Solos other than those of Maynard (on sax or piano for instance) are not credited. (They went uncredited on the original album as well.) I'm not sure of the personnel other than to figure it was part of his England band - likely the one that recorded "M.F. Horn 1" & "2". A bonus track or two would have been great as well.

However, this is a small price to pay in order to have this great album on CD. Even if you don't care for the tune selection, you get to hear Maynard playing in his prime - clean and exact. I heartily recommend this CD.

Good tracks that arae hard to find on current CD's........2005-10-25

If you don't have this album already for LP, I think you'd have a tough time finding them on a CD. This CD for me was worth the money. My personal favorites on this album are Bridge Over Troubled Water, and Stoney End. In fact, my jazz band conductor just handed out the music for Bridge Over troubled water today, but the music for the solo trumpet part was missing. Having heard the tune many times from when I listened to the CD, it was fairly easy for me to play my part. Very nice trumpet work and solo-ing in this album. (Also, maynard's pose is somewhat comical on the cover, so that's another reason to buy.)

Maynard Ferguson .......2005-10-23

Very satisfied with this CD of this great artist.
Sound quality is excellent. Classic songs performed by Maynard Ferguson everyone will love.

Classic MF...his best sound with B+ material.......2005-08-30

Maynard "marks" aside, this CD was definitely recorded during one of the prime playing periods of the Boss' career. His sound was never better, his control and power never greater.

If you love high note trumpet playing with unprecedented tone and rich sound, this is a CD for you.

The only downside is the choice of material. Not straight ahead jazz tunes, the material on this CD is pop cover style material from the early 70's. You may like it, but it definitely is nowhere near the complexity of the traditional MF CD/album.

But then again, MF is best known for Rocky and that was nowherenear his "traditional" program of material.

Buy this CD...you won't regret it. Just be sure you understand what to expect.

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