Customer Reviews

Maynard Ferguson

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

I'm kinda baffled by some of the other reviews on this one. There's no Dolly Parton song or (Michael) Jackson on this one and "Hollywood"????? Wrong album!

Yes this is an era-specifac Maynard album with mostly pop tunes from the early 70's. Are the tunes dated? Of course! Is the album exciting and well-done? Absolutely!! Not necessarily great jazz BUT great Big-Band!

In fact this has always been one of the best SOUNDING big band albums in my collection. It's the followup album to MF Horn recorded with a stellar British Band. What a great studio sound. Personnel has never been listed, but one can guess it's many of the same musicians as the MF Horn or Give it One albums. I believe most of the arrangements were done by Keith Mansfield and the charts are full of Maynard, Maynard, Maynard.

The two ballads on this one are especially impressive "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" and "Fire and Rain". Maynard's sound has never been captured better and he plays with fire AND taste. Something you can't say about every Ferguson album! His absolutely funky mid-range statement of the melody in the middle of the "Fire and Rain" chart has always blown me away! "Your Song" and "Stoney End" also both give Maynard a chance to shine playing the MELODY and knocking it out of the park.

Maynard also plays some great sounding trombone on this album. I especially like his work on Aquarius. Also the Jethro Tull tune "Living in the Past" is a 5/4 surprise.

What else to say? Yes, this one is "just" pop tunes but with a first rate band, great sound, and some of the best cleanest Maynard playing ever recorded. The sound on this CD is especially wonderful.

Buy it and enjoy!

BILL

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.

This long-awaited CD re-release of M.F. 1971 (or Alive and Well in London) is another must-have for anyone interested in Maynard Ferguson. Maynard's range and sound are amazing. The sound quality of the CD is excellent. My thanks to Wounded Bird for making this re-release happen.

I've long been a big Maynard fan and love both his early straight ahead big band sound as well as his jazz/rock rebirth in the late 60's/
70's. I've always found this album interesting and confounding at once. Presumably, MF's move to jazz/rock was to gain a new,
youthful audience and to stay in touch with the modern music scene. The selection of tunes and their artists read's like a who's who in pop/rock music in '69/'70/'71, James Taylor, The musical "Hair", George Harrison, Simon & Garfunkel, Elton John, Laura Nyro, Jethro Tull; All strong song choices. However , with the exception of "Stoney End" "Aquarius"(minus the Indian stylings) and "Living in the Past" (A great arrangement), most of the other tunes are transformed beyond recognition. "Your Song" and "Fire & Rain" have been reharmonized; Their melodies embellished (even before solos,) and their tempi changed so much that no fan of these songs would ever recognize them!
They might just as well have written a set of jazz/rock originals as these selections bear no resemblance to their source material. I don't know how well this particular record did in the market place but the playing is great from all involved. Seeing Maynard dressed like a hippie on the cover does count for a lot. However, for an outstanding balance of jazz arrangements on pop/rock tunes that retain the spirit of the originals, try Maynard's M.F. Horn 2. One of his greatest.

I love this recording! Maynard's playing is clean and tasty; some of his best improvising I've heard from this era. The band is tight and accomplished, my only complaints would be that I didn't hear enough of the sidemen and they are not credited anywhere on the liner notes. Based on the way in which this recording must have been made and the band itself, I would say it's more or less the same band as on MF Horn 1, 2, or 3 or possibly some combination thereof.

As for the reviewer who complained about the sound of the recording, I say that's one of the things I like best about it. When you hear Maynard recordings from this era, they are instantly recognizable, clean, warm and inviting. Try listening with some good headphones or a good quality audio system (cranked up!) and you'll see what I mean.

This is Maynard in his prime. Incredible playing. Easy to listen to, excellent band playing excellent arrangements of pop songs rather than hard core jazz. One of my all time favorite Maynard albums. It will blow you away!!!! Definite must have for all Maynard fans and will please everyone else also.

Ths is not really classic Maynard from earlier days, but the tunes are what you could call big-band, modern pop-classics after Maynard touches them. This is the type of album that a non-jazz person could listen to and learn to appreciate the big-band sound as something other than just Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey. Each composition on this album provides a brass interpretation of some nice pop tunes. It makes a great collecton of some really well selected charts. Each of these compositions is rich and fully of flavor which brings new live to the original arrangements for those who may have never heard this type of sound before. Great album to introduce band students to the possibilities of what they can do.

Kevin Brett
CEO, Kevin Brett Studios, Inc.
Author: The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life!
The Way of the Martial Artist: Achieving Success in Martial Arts and in Life!

Producer: The Art of the Intelligent Driving (DVD)
The Art of Intelligent Driving

This record captures a place in time that is so spectacular its almost unbelievable...all the records from this period are brilliant...we love you Maynard.

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.