History will remember them. The greatest figures of a fresh and innovative musical genre that emerged in the 20th century. Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans... and Maynard Ferguson playing the Star Trek theme out of tune and up an octave! Masterful!
Mike Douglas was daytime TV - this is the same group that played the awesome version of "Gonna Fly Now" - in fact, Maynard's wearing the same suit - they could have done that gig at night, and had an early gig for Mike Douglas the next morning - one of the rare times I've heard Maynard split and flub a note - however, this is a look at one of his greatest big bands, and when he was in his best playing condition. Thanks for the post!
i wish i could find a full length perfomance of this particualr song. I was blown away by this track ever since i was a little kid, and my folks bought the when it was first released, and they used to play it all the time.
I was just replying to a Facebook 70 group query post, "What's the best 70s flute solo?". I'm just here to grab the Link and insert it between all the Jethro Tull replies.
Back in the 70's I saw him for free at the Top of the Ponch in Detroit. The stage was only about two feet high. I was literally sitting at his feet in front of him and his microphone fell off the stand and in my lap. I handed it back to him and he winked at me. It was awesome!
wow!!! can I say more? This is just groovy! I'd love to see some of the drum and bugle corps play some of this on the field, especially with the powerful brass sections!
Maynard was the greatest trumpet player of all time. I saw him in night clubs and in concert dozens of times from the early 70's to the end of his career. No-one could match him on stage or on record. Keep in mind he fronted his band playing lead and solos on every tune the entire night while doing a great job interacting with the audience and the band members. He was a great entertainer. There will never be another even close to him.
The incorporation of the jazz flute was big then. You had jethro Tull, Loggins/Messina, Chicago and others who were capturing alot of similar sounds but MF was a true artist. The loss of him to trumpet players and jazz was really huge. He is missed.
yeah, he had a flub or two, but no biggie...from this same show, i have seen a full version of MF and the band playing Rocky...Maynard is absolutely at the top of his game...best Rocky performance i ever heard him play
The wird thing about this arrangement is its by Jay Chattaway who went on two write the music for Star Trek The Next Generation, although this is a few years earlier than the star trek movies he scored or the next generation.
They were getting paid, it was the '80s and times were tough. Maynard had a big family and he did what he had to do. Look at Satchmo with the Hello Dolly stuff. These guys have to roll with the punches. They're pro's.
@DarthClam The song was written by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and Alex Courage specifically for the show. Don't know if anybody was an original performer of it.
Check out the horn section at around 1:34 - 1:42 hunkering down into that high E flat then converting into the high F! Simply the best horn section he's ever had!
Yup. Bobby M on flute, Biff Hannon on keys, Gordy Johnson on bass(who was actually a flute major at Eastman) and, I think, Peter Erskine on Drums. Quite a band..prob ably '76 or '77.
