There are jazz legends and then there are jazz legends. Perhaps none of them did it as long and with such endurance as trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. After sixty years as a musician, band leader, and showman, Ferguson left us in August at the young age of 78 and he was still touring.  In July he had just finished a new recording which brought his total to over sixty.

He was a pioneer in the jazz industry bringing in popular music and adding a jazz twist to it. His hit “Gonna Fly Now” (Theme from “Rocky”) was an example of that in the 70s. Much of his music was the bridge from the traditional jazz of the 50s to the contemporary tunes of today. He was always surrounded by young talented musicians and many from North Texas State. Best known for his extraordinary high notes, he launched a generation of Maynard wanna-be’s in practice rooms across America. Though modern in much of his music, he was one of the last who had played during the days of Stan Kenton and the big bands.

“Primal Scream” leads off the disc with Ferguson’s patented low growl and crescendo to a “scream.” Backed up by a phenomenal band, this one pulls out all the stops. There’s even a great baritone sax solo. Recorded in the early 70s as a title track, this one hasn’t lost much over the years. “Spinning Wheel” is a nice take on the Blood Sweat and Tears hit. Here again the rarely used “bari” is evident throughout with nice undertones. This one has more of a big band feel to it with its multi-layered sound. “Chameleon” was the title track from a previous album and a favorite jazz standard that was written by Harvey Mason, Herbie Hancock, Paul Jackson and Bennie Maupin back in the 70s. Its opening ovation is a classic salutation to an oft-repeated four bar riff that lends itself to some dangerously funky solos. This one’s as fun to play as it is to listen to. Believe me.

Maynard announces “Gospel John” with the quiet upper octave reverence that would make paint peel from a large cathedral. He launches into full band in a multi-moving set with a recurring theme that launches several solos before coming back together with Ferguson’s punctuated trumpet in the end. “La Fiesta” starts off fast with a solid keyboard theme and only gains momentum as the rest of the band comes to play. This Chick Corea tune is an excellent playground for some of the best trombone work you’ve heard in a long time. The keys are revisited with extended runs that give way to Ferguson’s brilliant trumpet.  “Rocky” is also featured here and is a showcase for Maynard. They mix it up a little from Conti’s original score.  “MacArthur Park” is one of the best remakes of this Jimmy Web classic and a personal favorite. It’s more of a musical story with Ferguson’s horn telling it. Baritone sax is used again during the slow parts with the trumpet bringing it to an emotional high. This one is launching pad for more solos before everyone comes back to the original theme.

The next two cuts are from long-time band member Jay Chattaway. “Pagliacci” begins slow and launches into a recurring theme with an aggressive flute solo.“Superbone Meets Badman” is one of the first songs I’ve heard that was written for a specific “new” instrument. The “superbone,” as it was known, was one of the first trombones complete with valves. It’s a standoff between this instrument and Ferguson’s sax player (Badman). The results are a lot of fun as both respective instruments get their time to shine before slugging it out at the end. Isaac Hayes’ classic “Theme from Shaft” closes out this ten song classic. It’s close to the original and you can almost visualize the opening credits of the movie rolling by. There’s some great band work as well as wonderful sax and trombone solos.

Master of the Stratosphere is one of those discs that have a lot of the artist’s earlier works on it from different albums. They all stand alone on their own merit, but still work well together as a set. I invite you to listen to this man’s work if you haven’t done so lately and you’ll hear that link to the past.

Thank you, Mr. Ferguson.

- Harvey Cline