Customer Reviews

Chameleon

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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.

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.

Listening to this album again takes me back to my high school days, when I was cutting my musical teeth on the fusion and jazz tinged pop and rock music of the early 70s. I was into BS&T, Chicago, Lighthouse etc. But then I went to my first MF concert. WOW! These cats could play! The music educators I was studying under pooh-poohed Maynard as a pop huckster, but he was my bridge. Because of his pop-tinged jazz, I was hooked, and went deeper and deeper into a love for REAL jazz.

No one can deny Maynard's awsome musical ability, and the musicians on this album are all top notch too. I remember waiting with anticipation when this album came out, because I had heard many of these numbers live before they were released on vinyl. Even back then, I thought the approach he took with the title track (adding the electric guitar) was too much, but its still a great chart. Gospel John is just a great arrangement, and Randy Purcell's trombone work on "Way We Were," coupled with Maynards cascading trumpet, well, it don't get no better! The real highlights, though, are the incredible arrangement of "La Fiesta," (again, it was better live, but this is the next best thing), Maynard doing a credible singing job on "Can't Get Started," and the interplay between Maynard on Valve Trombone and Bruce Johnstone on Bari Sax on "Badman" -- all these tracks are just fantastic!

This was a real trip down memory lane for me. I wore the vinyl version of this record out as a teenager, and I have to cite Maynard as one of my major influences for initially choosing music education as my first career. For you audiophiles, the remastering on this was great -- I have discovered that quite often, trying to refine the recordings of earlier eras makes the remastered version artifical or sterile. That is NOT the case here -- its as vibrant and lifelike as the first time I spun the platter on my turntable.

God bless Maynard! He's still the best!

Yeah, legit trumpet players tend to roll their eyes a bit when we talk about Maynard, but here he shows everyone what full-steam trumpet playing is all about. Great jams and feverish beats (check out La Fiesta). Can't go wrong.

Unlike some MF 70's releases, this one is HOT! La Fiesta, Super Bone Meets the Badman, Can't Get Started, Gospel John, The Way We Were...all different and all well done.

In my view one of the more "in your face" recordings of the band ever. This mix more closely resembles the way the band sounded live in the mid-70's. So much for producer Teo Macero's reputation...the guy did this one and the famous Live at Jimmy's just before it and messed up both releases at the time (can you say "reverb" and missing parts?)

The trumpet section is scorching led by the legendary Stan Mark and supported by Bob Summers, Dennis Noday and the screaming Lynn Nicholson.

Bruce Johnstone kills on bari sax and Alan Zavod's keyboards were...amazing.

Buy this. You'll love it.

This is a classic Maynard release. Right up there with Conquistador, this album is hot! I've been listening to Maynard a lot lately, and the most stuff by him that I seem to enjoy the most is his 1970's, more fusion orienated recordings. This album definately fits that discription.

I first picked this up because the song that appears on this album, "Gospel John;" I played in my 7th grade jazz band. The long intro is amazing. And once the song starts, Maynard's band rips it up! What a great song!

Another highlight here, for me, is Maynard's vocal version of "I Can't Get Started." Not a fan of vocals, but I love this tune.

The rest of the album is great as usual. There's something for everybody in this recording. It ain't just fusion influenced, there are some straight ahead big band tunes as well. I don't really see how this album is commercial. All I see is that it has some really talented players on it.

Great album!

Depending on which of Maynard's many bags you prefer, you'll either love, or feel so-so about Chameleon. If you typically love anything and everything MF has recorded, as long as there are plenty of those legendary high-notes, you'll absolutely love this album! (By the way, I generally fall into this camp!) However, if you're looking for the hard swinging version of Maynard, there are only a few examples of this side on the album. With the exceptions of "Superbone Meets the Bad Man", I Can't Get Start" and possibly "Gospel John", the charts are generally rock oriented or commercially oriented takes on pop songs, e.g. "The Way We Were", "Livin' For The City".

Don't get me wrong, this is a good album, recorded by one of MF's greatest bands. However, for the general big-band/swing fan that prefer his work from the Birdland days of the 1950's, many of the tracks on Chameleon will appear to overemphasize the high-note stuff. ! !

For us dyed in the wool MF fans however, it's a classic! It's meant to be played loud and often. La Fiesta was the highlight of the album for me, featuring an all out scream-fest by MF and his capable trumpet section.

So, if you're in the mood for brassy, "push you against the wall" high-note dominated charts as only MF can perform them, this one's for you!

After seeing Maynard live, I became addicted to his screaming trmupet and tight sound. I already have "brass attitude" and after hearing samples of Chameleon and knowing some of the charts, I had to get it. I highly reccomend this to any musician; classical, jazz, anyone. It's GREAT!

I own only 3 recordings of Maynard, and this is far and away the bast. I never thought Chameleon could have as much variety as Maynard gives it. Gospel John is a very interesting sermon, The Way We Were is a beautiful trombone ballad that I (a trombone player) have transcribed the whole of and attempted to play. Jet may be the only downer, as nothing new is achieved. La Fiesta more than makes up for it--this must be the most energetic song I have ever heard! And although they are overshadowed by the Chick Corea hit, the last 3 songs of the album hold their own.