Comments for Ferguson, Maynard, A Message From Birdland

Old fashion Maynard. A very good album!!

Can Slide Hampton arrange or what? Get the full scoop on this one from Mosaic's excellent box set. Superb!

MF delivers the best improvisational jazz trumpet solo I've ever heard...from Rafael Mendez to Freddy Hubbard there's nothing like MF's answer to the band's chreshendo on "The Mark of Jazz".

This is as close as you''ll ever get to hearing a live performance of the Roulette Years band. The Mosaic set contains additional items as well as a wonderful recreation in words of what happened on the night it was recorded. Th most amazing cut is Willie Maiden''s "Back In The Sattelite Again" a tour de force for the entire band. What an amazing level of musicianship. Just simply "SUPERB"

A "LIVE" recording from Birdland in New York City on June 17, 1959 makes this an EXCELLENT example of the fire and spirit that made Maynard Ferguson one greatest big band leaders of all time. Never was Maynard or the band in better form than when this recording was made. I would have given most anything to have been there listening. Eventually I would see a friend of mine, Wayne Naus, play with the band. That was about as close as I ever got to standing in the last row of one of the most dynamic bands ever.

Marvelous Jimmy Ford solo in Oleo..He had an all too brief career with the band. May have met a bad end I'm afraid. Caught this band several times at the old "Red Hill Inn" in Jersey. Maybe the best band Maynard had.

Haven't heard this for over 40 years and would love to again. I frequently sing to myself parts of the wonderful solo in "Lonely Time" (by Willie Maiden, I think). I saw him with the band in Ithaca NY but they didn't do that song, as I recall.