Joined: 26 Feb 2013 Posts: 153 Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 1:50 pm Post subject: New Appreciation for "The Boss"
When I started getting serious about trumpet in high school, naturally the first trumpet player I started listening to was Maynard. I thought he was great, best trumpet player ever! Until then, I had never heard anyone play like that...or since for that matter. As I matured, I started to appreciate more the phenomenal sidemen he had on his recordings and live shows. My tastes continued to grow and I discovered other trumpet players, Miles, Kenny Dorham, Bobby Shew, Arturo and other jazz greats. Maynard has always been a part of my jazz and trumpet playlists, but the older I got, the more I just kind of pigeon holed him as a screamer, not having the most finesse ever, but still great. I saw him live three times, in the late 90's and early 2000's, and was interested more in just seeing a performer that had been such a part of my youth, not so much for his playing.
Recently, after going through some old stuff from college, I came across a ripped set of 4 CDs entitled, "Maynard Roulette Sessions 2-5." I don't ever remember listening to them in school, and was actually about to toss them before deciding to listen to them at least once. My trumpet life has yet again been changed by Maynard. To me, these recordings represent the real Maynard, and trumpet playing that I don't think anyone has ever been able to duplicate. Absolutely. F*&@ing. Scary!! I'm putting my ignorance on display in hopes that others will seek out these recordings and also find a renewed appreciation for someone who changed the music and trumpet world for the better. _________________ DSG
Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 2481 Location: The Big Valley
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:02 pm Post subject:
Good to see younger people discovering his Roulette work. I've always been amazed at what he could do then, and the Message From Birdland CD from the same era will turn your head. It's like the horn catches fire and he extinguishes it by blowing one double after another. He was born to play the thing. Even the top classical guys, Herseth included, stood in awe.
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8914 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:26 pm Post subject:
"Trumpet Rhapsody", if you can find it, is another eye opener.
http://www.amazon.com/Trumpet-Rhapsody-Maynard-Ferguson/dp/B004JZJ8BY _________________ "I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 5:41 pm Post subject: Re: New Appreciation for "The Boss"
kidtwist wrote:
Recently, after going through some old stuff from college, I came across a ripped set of 4 CDs entitled, "Maynard Roulette Sessions 2-5."
Yeah, this the Maynard I grew up hearing on record and in person. My recommendation, find the recording of Maynard jamin' with Clifford Brown and Clark Terry. It was originally released on EmArcy back in the day (I think). Could be another life altering discovery.
Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 1197 Location: Kalamazoo, Mi
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 5:46 pm Post subject:
I started listening to Maynard when in High school in the late 50's and knew he was unique along with Harry James and others of the big band era. I got most of the Roulette records as they came out and was continually amazed and inspired. In late years I picked up his earlier and later stuff in sets. I was on the Maynard Forum for awhile. I frequently put on a bunch of his CD's of different eras. My wife is used to him by now. LOL.
Glad you are enjoying "the Boss". _________________ Dave Rafferty Devillier Stencil (German) Besson 609
1960's B & H Embassy Trumpet, Besson 2-20,
Barrington trumpet.
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9033 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 7:47 pm Post subject:
Yep. This is one reason why I'm so impatient when I read/hear so many trumpet players go nuts over what, in comparison, is more superficial playing by (later) Maynard. My little Possums, Higher, Faster, Louder is not the begin all and end all of trumpet playing. Maynard had some serious bebop soloist chops.
"Message From Birdland" is mentioned above. My favourite from that era is "Message From Newport". Great writing, playing and soloists, including Maynard. More fun listens are the Birdland Dream Band recordings (not to be confused with the band on "Message from Birdland"). Basically same band and writers, if I remember correctly.
Another one to listen just for fun, and, I think also on Roulette, is "Swinging my Way Through College", which is from his dance book that he used on the college dance circuit.
The "jam session" Larry mentions above I think is actually "Dinah Jams", a recording featuring Dinah Washington, with a killin' little big band as back up and a couple of the tracks feature band members on solo tracks as do some of Dinah's numbers open up for solos. The band is somewhat the Max Roach/Clifford Brown band with Herb Geller on alto and Clark Terry and Maynard added. It's really not a jam session, it's a studio session with an invited audience, but it has the looseness of live, club performance. It's really a recording that every jazz trumpeter should, IMO, have in their library.
The trumpet solos are really fun to listen to, with some hard blowing as well as some humorous exchanges, even mimicking each other's styles until you really have to know the players not to lose track of who's who. The band parts, in some instances, are worked out in the studio, sans charts. I think the pyramid-like ending to "You Go To My Head", which is pretty thrilling, is one instance.
BTW, kidtwist - you are not "putting (your) ignorance on display", you are displaying your growing enlightenment. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
_________________ Jim Calkins
IA City
"Rooty toot bop pattern. Rooty toot blues lick. Rooty toot Miles quote. Rooty toot mistake- all my solos." -Dmitri Matheny
_________________ Jim Calkins
IA City
"Rooty toot bop pattern. Rooty toot blues lick. Rooty toot Miles quote. Rooty toot mistake- all my solos." -Dmitri Matheny
Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 133 Location: Washington, DC
Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:07 am Post subject:
Wow! That Jam Sessions link that was posted is eye opening!
I've honestly never been a big fan of Maynard. I grew up with the newer stuff and didn't understand what all the hype was about. I only ever saw/heard some guy screaming a few high notes and ripping the horn off his face... I now have new respect for a guy that was once a killer player. _________________ Bach 37
Yamaha NYS2-YM
Kanstul 1520 Picc
Wow! That Jam Sessions link that was posted is eye opening!
I've honestly never been a big fan of Maynard. I grew up with the newer stuff and didn't understand what all the hype was about. I only ever saw/heard some guy screaming a few high notes and ripping the horn off his face... I now have new respect for a guy that was once a killer player.
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9033 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:18 pm Post subject:
Regarding "Jam Session Los Angeles, CA, August 14, 1954, Clifford Brown, Maynard Ferguson, Clark Terry play "Move."
Holy smoke, I didn't know (or I forgot) this recording existed. This seems to be the same group that recorded the "Dinah Jams" recording that I was referring to in my post above, sans Washington. The powers that be, must've taken advantage of the talent in the studio to crank out two records under two titles. Groovy! _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Here's one of my favorite vintage takes of Maynard. Personally, I think it's one of the most incredible displays of trumpet playing by anyone. I think he was still in his teens when he recorded this with Stan Kenton. "A Trumpet" from the "City of Glass" album.
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