Trumpet legend Maynard Ferguson has had the rare pleasure of being popular to more than one generation of music fans. He scored big in Stan Kenton’s orchestra as well in his own back in the 50s and 60s. Then, he surprised everyone by making a “comeback” with his horn being featured in the Rocky movie in 1979. These twoalbums find him riding the crest of renewed popularity.
Storm from 1982 has him leading a funky big band that included Denis DiBlaso/bs-fl and Dave Mancini/dr. This band being in the disco era, there’s lots fo funky grooves, wacka-wooka guitars and TONS of exuberant horns. Ron Pedley delivers some bona fide piano on the intro to “Take the “A” Train”and Deniel jordan’s tenor is warm no “As Time Goes By,” But you also get things like a fun and funky fingersnaper like “Sesame Street” while the leader himself is big, bold and brash throughout.
Just a year later, the band is recorded in the Great American Music Hall and the band is full of swagger, snapping on “South 21st Shuffle” and Matt Bissonette’s bass delivering a slick riff on “Fireshaker.” DiBlasio’s charts are macho-extroverted, with keyboards flying on “Ganesha” and Latin rhythms shaking the ground on “Coconut Champagne.” Gregg Bissonette hits the drums hard while the brass is screeching on “Bebop Buffet,” but things do calm down a bit on a reflective read of “Lush Life.” Ferguson delivers a chop fest here.
Omnivore Records