Chameleon

Maynard Ferguson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 20, 2011)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Columbia/Legacy
• ASIN: B00009VU2Z
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,629 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Maynard the Magnificent, September 28, 2004

By 

Samuel Chell (Kenosha,, WI United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chameleon (Audio CD)

O.K., so this is a pretty commercial recording by Maynard and his high-wire musical circus. But this amazing musician from Canada, whose longevity as a band leader puts him in the company of only Ellington and Basie, can no longer be taken for granted.

I can remember leaving more than one of his concerts during the '70's and feeling empty and short-changed. Maynard usually scaled back on saxophones and lower brass in favor of shrill, fusion and pop-oriented ensembles. But he was selling records for Columbia and putting the sound of instrumental music in the ears of aspiring young players throughout the world. "Chameleon" still sounds heavy-handed to me (leave that one to Herbie Hancock), as does "Gospel John" (Cannonball Adderley's quintets do far better by funk and soul). But "Fiesta" sizzles as on no other recorded version of the tune, and the two ballads evoke memories of the Maynard who first knocked many of us out wihen he recorded "What's New" during his Kenton days.

I heard the incredibly swinging, bebop-style band that he kept through 1966--which included killer musicians like Wayne Shorter, Ronnie Cuber, Lannie Morgan, and Mike Abene--but I can testify that college kids simply were not "getting it." In the '70's not only college-aged but high school musicians were emulating Maynard, and with his switch to Columbia he became a veritable pop star.

Nevertheless, true Maynard fans will want to pick up some of his recordings prior to 1966 (mostly on Mainstream and Emarcy), including the amazing trumpet battle with Clifford Brown. In the '80's public taste was changing once again, and Maynard scaled back to a sextet. But today his group is most reminiscent of his 1956-1966 ensemble. And the guy is still blowing up a storm, even if of shorter duration. He may well end up being the longest-lived band leader of all time!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My first MF recording., September 19, 2003

By 

JetTone12 (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chameleon (Audio CD)

This is the album that got me into Maynard. I got into it after playing the "Chameleon" chart in school. I also heard someone playing an album with some amazing, long trumpet solos with great technique and asked who it was, and he told me Maynard Ferguson. This album is some of Maynard's best playing and one of his bigger commercial successes for Columbia. As expected, the title track is amazing and Maynard screams away on it, but doesn't actually solo. "Gospel John" has his heroic opening though, and moves into a happy, jumpy tune. His high note ballad work is deeply felt on "The Way We Were". The unquestionable highlight though, as far as high note playing goes, is "La Fiesta", with that crazy cadenza at the end. Good Lord. His vocal is a great thing to hear on the classic "I Can't Get Started", and wow, what a shout chorus at the end, Maynard controls the upper register with great flair. Stevie Wonder's "Livin' For the City" is downright funky and Maynard's solo is sassy, the brass all sounds great here. Then he picks up the valve trombone on "Superbone Meets The Bad Man" and Bruce Johnstone solos on baritone saxophone. The only song I don't really care for at all is "Jet". While it isn't a bad tune, nothing interesting goes on here. Aside from that, get this if you haven't already. I have not heard this new remaster, mine is the original recording, which had fine sound quality.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just as great 25 years later as its debut!!! MF's best band!, March 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Chameleon (Audio CD)

I became an MF fan in junior high school and never stopped. My first albums were MF Horn 1-3 and Live at Jimmy's. I subsequently bought all the future MF releases as they came out, including Chameleon. The Jimmy's band I thought was the best, until recently I ordered the Chameleon CD and changed my mind. Amazing what 20 years of maturity will do for you. LA Fiesta is mind-boggling in its movement. Check out Alan Zavod on the keyboards (try playing that fast with that clarity). MF of course screams, and pay particular note to the young Lynn Nicholson on the higher notes during the trumpet calls...wow! Stan Mark, Bob Summers, Lynn Nicholson and Dennis Noday on trumpets actually push MF hrough out the album for tone and range, beleive it or not. Let us not forget the great Rick Petrone on bass and of course Bruce "Badman" Johnstone on baritone sax. Superbone Meets the Badman is the best pure big-band cut on the album. Gospel John is a nice straight ahead chart that is fun to listen to. Unlike some other fans, I like the work on The Way We Were and Livin for the City. The Jet chartis straight forward but still done very well. If I had to give up all my MF albums but one, this is the one I'd keep.