The Essential Maynard Ferguson

Maynard Ferguson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000P46PZA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,558 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

This package consists of previously released material.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 40 Years of Maynard!!!!!!!, November 3, 2007

By 

Archie Mercer "Archie" (Yorba Linda, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: The Essential Maynard Ferguson (Audio CD)

I have been a Maynard fan since the early 70's when I was blessed to see him in concert at Disneyland over a Memorial Day weekend Jazz Festival called "All That Jazz." I had actually gone to see Freddie Hubbard but he and Maynard alternated sets on the same stage and I was just blown away by the sheer force of his band. Over the years I collected many records ranging from his earlier 1961 effort Maynard '61 all the way to his 1998 effort Brass Attitude. Along the way I was treated to some outstanding albums(M.F Horn 4 & 5 - Live at Jimmy's, Chameleon, & These Cats Can Swing) to some, shall we say, not so great efforts (Primal Scream, & Hot). Always though, there were two things consistant with every release, the signature sound of the MF trumpet and the high quality of his band.

"The Essential Maynard Ferguson" gives us a great look at his music as it evolved over a 40 year span. Although not large enough to be considered a "box set" it still has 30 titles. And of course, with only 30 songs there were quite a few missing that I would have preferred being included, such as "Left Bank Express" off Live at Jimmy's & "Ole" off Maynard 61. But with so much great music it really is hard to complain. Some of my personal favorites included here are "Blue Birdland" (the full version of what became Maynard's opening and closing piece of each set), "Two for Otis, "Superbone Meets the Badman" (Still my favorite MF song title) & Caravan (An awesome rendition of the old Duke Ellington number). What is even nicer is there are only a couple of pieces that I could have done without, such as "The Cheshire Cat Walk", a song from the disappointing Primal Scream effort.

Although I would love to see a four-to-five CD Box Set, this will do for now. I would seriously recommend this, not only to Maynard fans, but to all Jazz/Big Band/Swing music lovers. Even though "The Boss" is gone his music will live forever!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Maynard Primer, April 28, 2009

By 

Office Rat (Placitas, NM) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Essential Maynard Ferguson (Audio CD)

Maybe not essential, but a terrific overview of much of Maynard's career - 30 cuts, over two hours of music, pulled from four labels. I've been listening to Maynard for 38 years, own two dozen of his releases, and yet this collection contains some cuts I hadn't owned.

I won't individually rate each cut; everyone's got their own taste. Some prefer the earlier swinging big band sound, some prefer the more "pop" tunes, all featuring Maynard's soaring horn always backed up by outstanding bands. There's something, if not everything, here for everyone. It's almost a bargain at [...].

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maynard Ferguson from Start to End, May 30, 2007

By 

M. David Metz "A Big Maynard Fan" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Essential Maynard Ferguson (Audio CD)

This is great listening for the young and old. It has tunes that go back to the fifties when LPs were the style of the day to modern day tunes where CDs and DVDs rule. This is great compilation of the career of the worlds most exciting trumpet player. Maynard may be gone now but he left a mark on many of us that will never be forgotten.