A single-disc, budget-line compilation,
The Essence of Maynard Ferguson brings together a handful of tracks the legendary high-note trumpeter recorded during the 1970s. While none of the music is bad here, and cuts like "Birdland," and "Conquistador" certainly showcase
Ferguson's titanic abilities, there are too many trademark
Maynard cuts missing ("Chameleon," "Gospel John," "Flying High Now [Theme from Rocky]") to recommend this as an adequate overview of his '70s output. However, if you are simply looking for some album cuts off
Ferguson's various '70s releases, this should suffice. ~ Matt Collar