Maynard Ferguson Sextet - 1967

Editor's info:
Canadian trumpeter Maynard Ferguson is a dazzling stylist with an incredible range. He got notoriety through stints with Boyd Raeburn and Stan Kenton in the forties and fifties, who had heard the young trumpeter while passing through Montreal, his hometown. It was with Stan Kenton and the era of the rather self-conscious progressive jazz that he first came to prominence. Kenton fans applauded wildly his fantastic technique and screaming style on the high notes, and so much so that he topped the Downbeat Polls from 1950-52. During the 1967 Montreal Expo, Maynard Ferguson was invited to play at the Canadian Pavilion. To celebrate his 'homecoming' a group of musicians, some of whom were personal friends, representing the very best in Canadian jazz talent, was assembled by the CBC Transcription Service, and two memorable albums were recorded. In the years since he has become and international star the Canadian virtuoso has matured, and while still retaining the essential qualities of his early style and especially his ability to jump with ease from the low to the high range, his vast technique is now more closely allied to his powerful lyricism and expressive means.