Search - Maynard Ferguson :: The Essential Maynard Ferguson

Maynard Ferguson from Start to End

M. David Metz | Detroit, MI | 05/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

40 Years of Maynard!!!!!!!

Archie Mercer | Yorba Linda, CA | 11/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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!"

Essential for Maynard Fans

Kenneth Fennell Jr. | Springfield MO USA | 09/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"They couldn't have come up with a better title than The Essential Maynard Ferguson. This compilation of Maynard is a great album. Maynard is the "King of Brass" and he will be greatly missed. Even my 7 week old grandson loves this album. When I first got I had to hear it right away and little Colton just smiled the entire time it was playing. If you are a Maynard fan you got to have it. If you are a fan of big bands and brass you got to have it. If you are not a Maynard fan, you will be!!!!!"