Maynard-Playing tasty jazz o_O

[Benge.nut]

I do NOT enjoy much of Maynard's improvised solos. I find them to be tragically boring, beyond high note gravitas. Mostly diatonic or chromatic, odd chromatic lip trills, and recycled boring blues licks.

But when I go back and re listen to 50s early 60s Maynard, I am often astounded. Smart lines, bebop, playing with intelligent harmonic choices, and great phrasing. With out the ridiculous lip trills and wide vibrato and a with a little focus, Maynard sure sounded fantastic on these cuts.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0H6FeWXTj5U
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GfrEp3L9jJs

[Benge.nut]

Here's another, I'd love to get this whole album. Max Roach is killin it !!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V1lRHA1EMtQ

[Robert P]

I'm sure a lot of people including myself agree with you - the young Maynard was a whole different player.

When I first became aware of Maynard it was in his white-haired 'fro, jump suit and big sunglasses era. I had a really odd introduction to his playing - an appearance on the Dinah Shore show playing "Something". By that time of course his chops had decades more toll on them, and his playing had taken on a repertoire of affectations - including that cheesy wail-shake thing he came to rely on all the time, his stage presence was all about the various spastic histrionics I'm sure you're familiar with.

The first album of his that I got was probably the worst possible introduction to his discography - "Primal Scream".

It wasn't until much later that I heard his earlier work. The first sample of which was "The Maynard Ferguson Years" with some of his Roulette recordings. And then even later found out about his even earlier career.

Eventually his concerts weren't even about hearing Maynard do his thing, he handed off more and more of the heavy lifting to the guys in the section. And when he did play, well - eh. It was far removed from the pyrotechnics that made him famous in the first place.
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[Benge.nut]

[kehaulani]

Two really great albums are Dinah Washington's "Dinah Jams" with Maynard, Clark Terry and Clifford Brown in the trumpet section and Maynard's big band in "A Message From Newport".
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[Robert P]

[Benge.nut]

[deleted_user_02066fd]

Maynard could play anything when he was younger. No one should be surprised that he could hold his own with Clifford and CT. He was that good. I've always felt that MF Horn 1 was his last good recording. His sound and control were still intact. His ballad playing was wonderful. Ballad For Max is a great example.
The years on the road took their toll both in his playing and physical appearance. I don't think he was in the best of health the last 10-15 years of his life. I recall seeing him around 2000 at a high school. I had not gone to hear him since 87 or 88. He was horribly overweight and was not in good form playing wise.
Many years ago I knew someone who was in his band in the early 70s. He always had good things to say about Maynard. He was one of a kind, warts and all.

[Benge.nut]

Agreed. MF Horn 1 was the end of the sound and playing I really loved from Maynard.

I think this was also the time he got his dental work done, and had all those caps replacing his front teeth?

For the 70s Maynard rock stuff I loved the British band records like this one.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-MR3HhiwmP0

Sure, it's pop, a little soft rock. But Maynard sounds so good on these cuts. Stoney End is my favorite 😬😁

MF 2 and beyond I can take in small doses. 1980s and beyond I listen only to hear the great young lead trumpeters, mostly right out of college, Maynard had on his band.

So many young guys got their break and start from putting in their dues on MF's band and tours.

[Benge.nut]

Although it's not discussed much, I think the late 60s and Maynard time with Timmothy Leary and their experiments "expanding their minds" had much to do with the direction Maynard took.

LSD is a hell of a drug

[PhxHorn]

[PhxHorn]

A lot of blasphemy in this thread!


While his playing deteriorated after about 1980, his 70s concerts sure packed in the people while other bands were struggling. The audiences were just going insane. And he was selling records, too. After the hit with Rocky, Columbia forced a lot of those disco movie themes onto the records in an attempt to replicate the Rocky success. He had players like Bobby Militello, Peter Erskine, etc, on the band.

I saw him in February of '84, just a few days after his son died. Rather than cancel the tour like a normal person, or stumble through the show, he played three sets and knocked it out of the park.

Check out this Round Midnight excerpt from that show:
https://soundcloud.com/phxhorn/round-midnight-22584

[razeontherock]

What amazes me most about Maynard is there's always more. Despite having no choice but to listen to a wide variety of his records while I was growing up, and despite now owning CD's of many of his older records I never knew existed, there are always more of his older recordings from when he played well that are still new to me. I think he is the working definition of "prolific." Just now I'm listening to his rendition of "Aquarius" for the first time, which is in fact a remake despite his best efforts to camouflage it. Cheesy? Yup. Still fits the definition of "jazz," and he played GREAT.

Dad had a lot of his best albums, with Live At Jimmy's being a standout. Eli's Comin' off of MF I popped up as a related vid on a link furnished by the OP. Dad played that one often; what a chart!

I think we should all agree to blame Maynard's demise on Holton. Have you ever tried to play one of those monstrosities called an MF horn?!? That'd be enough to do anyone in. OTOH he sounded so good on his Constellation. I've never played a 38B, but I own a 38A that is SWEET. And I played a 36B, so I imagine I'd like a 38B that much better.

I've often wished I could've remained a listener, and not caught the bug. But I gotta go practice!!

[PhxHorn]

Some of his best playing is with a nonet on an LP called Stratospheric, also available on a CD called I Have But Two Horns. Mostly Bill Holman arrangements. All-star west coast band, too.

[Benge.nut]

[Benge.nut]

Some of this is kinda cool. Good recording to hear clean MF by himself with out tons of amplification. Not the most creative solos, but he's all over the horn from low F#s through Ds above double C.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YKO0BRnoxlU

And check out he funky flugelhorn he's playing. What is that?? And what trumpet is he in here I wonder?? 🤔

[Benge.nut]

[Benge.nut]

This album is freaking gold as well. Just swinging. And Maynard sounds at his prime! Bebop, lines, unstoppable high chops, and slick improvised melodies.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GkddWj-d704

Dimensions 1954 I think. Capital Records.

[Robert P]

[Benge.nut]