OBAL PEKNY
DESKA VYBORNY STAV
A1 Gonna Fly Now (Theme From "Rocky") 4:20
A2 Mister Mellow 6:33
A3 Theme From Star Trek 6:17
B1 Conquistador 7:30
B2 Soar Like An Eagle 6:27
B3 The Fly 4:30
Alto Saxophone – George Young (2), Mike Migliore
Arranged By – Bob James (tracks: B2), Jay Chattaway (tracks: A1 to B1, B3)
Baritone Saxophone – Bobby Militello
Bass – Gary King, Gordon Johnson, Will Lee
Drums – Allan Schwartzberg, Harvey Mason, Peter Erskine
Engineer – Joe Jorgensen
Flugelhorn [Solo] – Maynard Ferguson (tracks: A2)
Flute [Solo] – Bobby Militello (tracks: A3)
French Horn – Brooks Tillotson, Donald Corrado
Guitar – Eric Gale, George Benson, Jeff Layton, Lance Quinn
Guitar [Solo] – George Benson (tracks: A2), Jeff Layton (tracks: A1)
Keyboards – Biff Hannon, Bob James, Kenny Ascher*
Mastered By – Vladimir Meller*
Other [Sound] – Tony Romano
Percussion – Ralph MacDonald
Percussion [Parade Drum] – Phil Kraus
Piano [Solo] – Bob James (tracks: B2)
Producer – Jay Chattaway
Soprano Saxophone – Mark Colby, Mike Migliore
Soprano Saxophone [Solo] – Mike Migliore (tracks: B3)
Strings – Alan Shulman, Albert Scheonmaker, Alfred Brown, Charles Libove, Charles McCracken, David Nadien, Emanuel Vardi, Eugene Noye, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Lookofsky, Marvin Morgenstern, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Max Pollikoff, Paul Gershman, Richard Sortomme
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Farrell, Mark Colby
Tenor Saxophone [Solo] – Mark Colby (tracks: B2), Stan Mark (tracks: B1)
Trombone – Dave Taylor*, Julian Priester, Paul Faulise, Randy Purcell, Roger Homefield, Wayne Andre
Trumpet – Alan Rubin, Bernie Glow, Dennis Noday, Jim Bossy, Guiseppe Loon P. Mosello*, Jon Faddis, Marky Markowitz, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker, Ron Tooley, Stan Mark
Trumpet [Calls] – Dennis Noday (tracks: B1), Joe Mosello (tracks: B1), Ron Tooley (tracks: B1), Stan Mark (tracks: B1)
Trumpet [Solo] – Maynard Ferguson (tracks: A1, A3 to B3)
Vocals – Ellen Bernfeld, Gwen Guthrie, Lani Groves, Linda November, Martin Nelson, Patti Austin, Richard Berg (2), Vivian Cherry
I really like that record! I don't find that it's really Jazz (it's nothing like Coltrane or Davis for exemple) as i found this to have quite a little 'dance' beat (dance in the sense 'to dance to' not a dance record for exemple on track like 'gonna fly now' which is the theme from the first Rocky picture used one year later. The theme from Star trek is really great! George Benson delivers vocals on the track 'soar like an eagle'.
This is the very first album I ever purchased when I was in 8th grade (did I just admit how old I am?!?). I heard the "disco" version of "Gonna Fly Now" and absolutely HAD to have the long version instead of the typically shortened 45 RPM copy. Being a trumpet player myself, I was instantly hooked on Maynard's talent and extraordinary range capabilities---with such control!! The one song I wasn't all that jazzed about was "Mister Mellow" (which is why only 4.5 stars) but only due to the vocals, as George Benson delivers nicely. Bob James contributes on "Soar Like an Eagle" which makes for a great track.