Customer Reviews

Master of the Stratosphere

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

 

 

After listening to a different "Greatest Hits" package of MF (The Essence of Maynard) I was cautious of this set. This set is a big step in the right direction. Taken from Maynards most commercially successful period (1972-1976) these songs are Maynard at his screaming best. Songs like La Fiesta and Gospell John demonstrate not only Maynards ability but also the strength of the musicians behind him. Other great songs are, of course, Rocky and my personal favorite Superbone meets the Badman.

So with all this great music here, why did I rate it as a 4 and not a 5? These songs came from 5 album only: MF Horn 2 & 3, Chameleon, Primal Scream, and Conquistador. And although this music was probably his most popular it doesn't include some of the best off those albums. Notable songs missing: Nice and Juicy off MF Horn 3, Left Bank Express off 3 (although the live version off Live at Jimmy's is better) and Can't Get Started off Chameleon. Still this is a great, great Greatest Hits Collection from his most popular period. Now all we need to see is a box set covering all of his career and I'll be one happy camper.

If you like the style of jazz that I like, you like hard swingin', foot tappin', jazz/rock fusion. And if you like that type of jazz, you'll LOVE Maynard Ferguson. "Master of the Stratosphere" is the king of high chops' greatest collection of tunes by far. You'll be singing the songs over and over in your head forever! It features great bass lines (Spinning Wheel), jazz standards (Chameleon), and an INCREDIBLE trumpet trio (La Fiesta). This album is a collection of 10 great Maynard charts, including his Billboard Chart-topping version of Gonna Fly Now (Theme from "Rocky"). There is not one bad part to this album, and no reason not to purchase this right away! My favorite jazz album is sure to become one of your favorites as well!

This is a nice collection of some of Maynard's great 1970's work, but if you're a big Maynard fan like me, you might already own a lot of these songs on their original releases, or on other albums/compilations. This album is great simply for the fact that it contains great MF work like "Spinning Wheel", "Pagliacci", "Primal Scream" and "Theme From Shaft", which are not available on any other Maynard Compact Disc. MF reaches screech range on "Pagliacci", one of his craziest performances ever! I really wish Primal Scream would come out on CD, I've wanted the album for quite a while. This album also includes classic MF performances like "La Fiesta", "MacArthur Park" and "Gospel John", and has his biggest hit "Rocky Theme (Gonna Fly Now)". This album is nice to be able to have but it will become obselete if the MF Horn albums 1-4 and Primal Scream are ever reissued on CD by Columbia.

Okay, so this album contains "Gonna Fly Now", Maynard's all time biggest hit, and also one of his cheesiest tunes ever, right up there with his entire "Hot!" album. So forget about that one, get over it, and look at the rest of the tunes on this compilation. Every other song is classic, kickin' MF. And songs like "Spinning Wheel", "Pagliacci", and "Shaft" are, to my knowledge, not available on any other CD. These are some of Maynard's most powerful and most fun songs, great solid fusion jazz. Of course, there are many more songs from this era of Maynard's career that deserve to be reissued, but this album will do quite nicely until Columbia gets off their rear ends and reissues albums like "MF Horn". So, anyway, if you're a Maynard fan, or if you just like loud, rockin' jazz, you'll get your money's worth out of this CD.

One of Maynard Ferguson's greatest albums, Master of the Stratosphere, is a showcase of his great talent. He wails on the upper register and makes it sound so easy. Some of his greatest stuff is on this CD as well, including the famous "MacArthur Park" and "Chameleon". Songs you will end up listening to many times.

This album also contains remakes of two very popular theme songs from the 70's, Rocky and Shaft. Whenever Maynard Ferguson remakes a song, he builds on to it from the ground up. The original lyrical line will still be there, but he builds a tower of high notes, intricate harmonies, and just a wall of intense brass sound on top."MacArthur Park" is probably one of the greatest examples of this. Other songs like "Gospel John" include a slow moody song developing into a Disney-esque type melody.

The reason I picked this album over "Primal Scream" or "Chameleon" is because this CD has all of the most popular songs. Master of the Stratosphere is like his Greatest Hits. It's difficult to find another Maynard CD with "MacArthur Park","Chameleon","Primal Scream", or "Gospel John" on them. So if you have an interest in jazz or brass, I Highly recommend this album. In fact if you have never heard Maynard before, I guarantee that this CD will impress you, and you will spend hours listening to it.

This is one of the greatest Maynard albums of all time. Each song is played with incredible intensity, endurance, and velocity. When I had finished listening to this, I was stunned by how powerfully Maynard can play. Primal Scream is really upbeat and has an awesome sax solo, and Superbone Meets the Badman is another excellent track.

This is a good sampling of Maynard's material. Maynard could take absoulutly horible pop and turn it into a jazz masterpiece. For examlpe "MacArthur Park." It runs just short of ten minutes and is some of the best big band style jazz that I have ever heard. The band is tight and Maynard's solos soar to the skies. Maynard is the bar for jazz trumpet and it is set high, a double high C! I have been listening to this music since I was in Jr. high and never seem to tire of it. 2005 was truly a sad year for jazz fans. Maynard will be missed!

After listening to a different "Greatest Hits" package of MF (The Essence of Maynard) I was cautious of this set. This set is a big step in the right direction. Taken from Maynards most commercially successful period (1972-1976) these songs are Maynard at his screaming best. Songs like La Fiesta and Gospell John demonstrate not only Maynards ability but also the strength of the musicians behind him. Other great songs are, of course, Rocky and my personal favorite Superbone meets the Badman.

So with all this great music here, why did I rate it as a 4 and not a 5? These songs came from 5 album only: MF Horn 2 & 3, Chameleon, Primal Scream, and Conquistador. And although this music was probably his most popular it doesn't include some of the best off those albums. Notable songs missing: Nice and Juicy off MF Horn 3, Left Bank Express off 3 (although the live version off Live at Jimmy's is better) and Can't Get Started off Chameleon. Still this is a great, great Greatest Hits Collection from his most popular period. Now all we need to see is a box set covering all of his career and I'll be one happy camper.

I had the great privilege of seeing Maynard Ferguson perform live in Kingsport, Tennessee. He is just as amazing as before, even though he was clearly suffering from some sort of chronic disease (either emphysema or CHF).

What irony. Climbing five steps to the stage clearly winded him; he was puffing like an old locomotive. But, once onstage and after catching his breath, he was as good as ever - maybe better.

High-register trumpet playing may not be as often-heard as before, but it's an art that will not be lost. Enjoy!