Maynard Ferguson’s closet seems to be getting cleaned out lately, as a slew of his older recordings are being issued by the bucketload by Omnivore Recordings. Here are the latest two:
Body and Soul was originally released in 1986, a studio session that still found him in his electric and funky mood. He’s got a hot band, including horn players Wayne Bergeron/tp with Tim Ries/as as well as a snappy rhythm team with Dave Miller/dr, Steve Fisher/perc , Todd Carlon and Dave Carpenter/b. Ferguson is hyper caffeinated on the explosive “Expresso” while his “Body and Soul” is an absolute stunner. “MOT” is delivered here in studio and as an extra “Live” track, both with some exuberant solos by Ries and guitarist Michael Higgins. You don’t know what the upper register of a trumpet is until you hear Maynard play it.
From 1989, Big Bop Nouveau has Ferguson back in front of a 15 piece jazz orchestra that swings with flexed muscles. The sparks fly on “Cherokee” as alto saxist Christpher Hollyday gets a baptism by fire. Ferguson shows his soft side on “But Beautiful” as his flugel horn glows, and then lays down the gauntlet on “Crusin’ For A Bluesin’” and busts his chops on a Jimmy Giuffre arrangement of “Blue Birdland.” This big band included Wayne Bergeron/tp and Slide Hampon/tb, so the brass was as polished as a door knob at Monticello.
Omnivore Records