Search - M Ferguson :: High Voltage

Medium Voltage...At Best

Ellis Ivory | 06/30/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This CD fixes Maynard Ferguson in a smaller setting than what one is used to seeing with him. He is joined by only six other musicians rather than a big band. I rate this CD as average, as most of the songs are rather nondescript, but not totally unpleasing to the ear. The three songs that are most enjoyable are the classic Hoagy Carmichael tune "Stardust," the Caribbean-calypso flavored "Marketplace," and the soft, beautiful ballad, written by Maynard himself and enhanced by the lovely guitar work of Michael Higgins and the heart-felt vocals of the late Carl Anderson "Walking on the Pier." Most of the other songs are mediocre at best. There aren't a lot of thrills from the

often shrill blasts of Ferguson's trumpet. From time to time,

decent solos emanate from the instruments of some of the other

musicians on the set, but nothing extraordinary. If you can find it on sale or in a used record/cd store, I would buy it

simply for the vocal work done by Carl Anderson on the "Walking on the Pier" tune, where Ferguson I think, is probably also at his best. In the end, the CD "High Voltage, Vol. 1," turns out to be medium voltage, at best."