[TPIN] Acquiring Maynard taste...

[Jack Taylor]

Since Byron's initial post which started this thread, I have emailed him
numerous mp3 files of Maynard from 1949 up to 1998.  Byron agreed that these
were generally superb.

The first file I sent was "All The Things You Are" from the Charlie Barnet
band.

The last one was "Just Friends" from the "Brass Attitude" album.

Comments:

1.  Maynard is an inventive and capable improviser, able to construct solo
lines in registers where others are merely trying to get the note to sound.
Is he the equal of Clifford Brown?  In my mind, no.  But Brownie, whose
range was great, never attempted to spin his lyrical lines consistently well
above high C.

2.  "Triple" notes - Trippa C, B, G, whatever, were not generally employed
by Maynard, except at the end of tunes, for dramatic effect.  Examples of
these are present but not plentiful.  His "effective" range topped out
somewhere between dubba C and dubba E above that.  For reference purposes,
Doc's ending cadenza of "Rhapsody For Then" tops out on the last note, an Eb
above double high C.

3.  Many have complained about Maynard's use of vibrato, and his wide lip
trills. Keep in mind that MF grew up listening to Harry James.  Note also
that the fast vibrato disappears above high C.

4.  The "horse-whinny" effect is produced by fingering a line while
half-valving the notes and employing the lip trill simultaneously.  A
technique that MF was a master of.  You may not have liked it (I didn't on
many occasions), but you have to appreciate the skill involved.  This was
just another way for MF to get a "different" sound out of his horn.  It is
as unique to him as was his fingerprint...

5.  Maynard's 1970s Columbia catalog started off with a bang - great albums
like "Alive and Well in London" and "M.F. Horn".  By the end of the Columbia
run in 1982, we were left with recordings like "Hollywood" - including guest
artists like Bob James, Stanley Clarke, David Sanborn, etc. etc.  It seems
evident to me that Columbia was trying to sell records and pressured Maynard
into recording stuff he wasn't fond of and using musicians whom (while
supremely talented) he wasn't completely compatible with.  It is interesting
to note that, even during this period, MF almost always managed to stick one
dynamite jazz track on each album.  "New Vintage" - Airegin.  "Carnival" -
 Stella by Starlight.  "HOT" - Dayride.  The exceptions were "Primal Scream"
(from 1975, the first blatantly commerical effort), and "Hollywood", which
was, for MF, probably the last straw.

6.  Looking at MF's recorded catalog AFTER Columbia, it's clear where his
sentiments lie.  The pressure here was to keep the band on the road, and
this led from the oriiginal 13 pieces ("Storm", "Live From San Francisco"),
to 11 pieces (the underrated "Body and Soul" album), to 6 pieces (the High
Voltage years), and finally settling on a 9 piece outfit with himself as the
10th member ("Big Bop Nouveau").  Maynard loved big bands, played his best
music, recorded his best albums, in that context.  The big band format
simply was the most effective showcase for his talent.

7.  Maynard Ferguson is the best BIG BAND trumpet player who has ever lived.

Jack Taylor
New Vintage Big Band