Dimensions (Maynard Ferguson album) explained

Dimensions is an album led by jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson featuring tracks recorded in early 1954 and mid-1955 and released on the EmArcy label.^[1]

Reception

Billboard in 1955 wrote: "Ferguson plays a cleaner, more purposeful host than has generally been true in the past, in which ideas go volleying back and forth between him and saxophonist Bud Shank, Bob Cooper and Bob Gordon."^[2] AllMusic awarded the album 3 stars stating "Although not essential, the bop-oriented music is well-played and gives one a good taste of early Ferguson".^[3]

Track listing

1. "Egad, Martha" (Bill Holman) - 3:50
2. "Breakfast Dance" (Holman) - 4:00
3. "Maiden Voyage" (Willie Maiden) - 2:56
4. "Thou Swell" (Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart) - 2:50
5. "The Way You Look Tonight" (Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern) - 2:50
6. "All God's Children Got Rhythm" (Bronislaw Kaper, Walter Jurmann, Gus Kahn) - 2:49
7. "Slow Stroll" (Holman) - 2:40
8. "Wonder Why" (Nicholas Brodzsky, Sammy Cahn) - 3:27
9. "Willie Nillie" (Maiden) - 2:41
10. "Hymm to Her" (Maiden) - 2:14
11. "Lonely Town" (Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Leonard Bernstein) - 2:56
12. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen) - 3:00

• Recorded at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles on February 19, 1954 (tracks 3-6 & 9), and at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles on February 23, 1954 (tracks 10-12) and August 26, 1955 (tracks 1, 2, 7 & 8)

Personnel

• Maynard Ferguson - trumpet, valve trombone, bass trombone
• Conte Candoli - trumpet (tracks 1, 2, 7 & 8)
  • Milt Bernhart (tracks 1, 2, 7 & 8), Herbie Harper (tracks 3-6 & 9-12) - trombone Herb Geller - alto saxophone (tracks 1, 2, 7 & 8)
• Bud Shank - alto saxophone, flute (tracks 3-6 & 9-12)
  • Bob Cooper (tracks 3-6 & 9-12), Nino Tempo (tracks 1, 2, 7, & 8) - tenor saxophone Bob Gordon - baritone saxophone
  • Ian Bernard (tracks 1, 2, 7 & 8), Russ Freeman (tracks 3-6 & 9-12) - piano Curtis Counce (Tracks 3-6 & 9-12), Red Mitchell (tracks 1, 2, 7 &8) - bass
  • Gary Frommer (tracks 1, 2, 7 & 8), Shelly Manne (tracks 3-6 & 9-12) - drums Bill Holman (tracks 1, 2, 7 & 8), Willie Maiden (tracks 3-6 & 9-12) - arranger

Notes and References

1. http://www.jazzdisco.org/mercury-records/catalog-emarcy-36000-series/#mg-36044 EmArcy Records discography
2. February 19, 1955 . Reviews and Ratings of New Popular Albums . . 67 . 8 . 34.
3. Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed September 28, 2012