Two's Company (Maynard Ferguson and Chris Connor album)

Two's Company
Studio album by Maynard Ferguson and Chris Connor
Released	1961
Recorded	December 15 & 22, 1960, January 30, 1961
Studio	Capitol Studios, New York City
Genre	Jazz
Label	Roulette R/SR 52068
Producer	Teddy Reig
Maynard Ferguson chronology
Double Exposure (1961) Two's Company (1961) "Straightaway" Jazz Themes (1961)

Two's Company is an album by trumpeter/bandleader Maynard Ferguson and vocalist Chris Connor featuring tracks recorded in late 1960 and early 1961 which was originally released on the Roulette label. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
DownBeat	[5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[6]

The contemporaneous DownBeat reviewer criticized some of the arrangements and wrote that "Connor runs into a bit of intonation trouble on "The Wind"". ^[5] AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow stated "Although Ferguson gets to throw in some high-register blasts now and then, his orchestra is mostly used as a prop behind Connor. The singer does her best (her voice was in prime form around this time) but the flamboyant and often-pompous arrangements (which are uncredited) take away from any real spontaneity or swing. Charts for the companion Atlantic "Double Exposure" recorded in the same time frame (multiple sessions in late Dec 1960-early Jan 1961) are mostly credited to Don Sebesky, with two to Willie Maiden. An odd set". ^[4]

Track listing

1. "I Feel a Song Coming On" (Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields, George Oppenheimer) – 2:03
2. "The Wind" (Russ Freeman, Jerry Gladstone) – 4:55
3. "New York's My Home" (Gordon Jenkins) – 4:35
4. "Guess Who I Saw Today" (Murray Grand, Elisse Boyd) – 3:27
5. "When the Sun Comes Out" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 3:35
6. "Send for Me" (Ollie Jones) – 2:32
7. "Where Do You Go?" (Alec Wilder, Arnold Sundgaard) – 3:40
8. "Something's Coming" (Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim) – 6:32
9. "Deep Song" (George Cory, Douglass Cross) – 4:05
10. "Can't Get Out of This Mood" (Frank Loesser, McHugh) – 2:42

• Recorded in New York City on December 15, 1960 (tracks 2, 3 & 5), December 22, 1960 (tracks 4 & 7) and January 30, 1961 (tracks 1, 6 & 8–10)

Personnel

• Chris Connor – vocals
• Maynard Ferguson – trumpet, trombone, French horn
• Bill Berry, Rolf Ericson, Chet Ferretti – trumpet
• Kenny Rupp, Ray Winslow – trombone
• Lanny Morgan – alto saxophone, flute
• Willie Maiden – tenor saxophone, clarinet
• Joe Farrell – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
• Frank Hittner – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
• Jaki Byard – piano
• John Neves – bass
• Rufus Jones – drums

References

1. Edwards, D. & Callahan, M. Roulette Album Discography, Part 3, accessed February 8, 2017
2. Minn, M. Maynard Ferguson discography, accessed February 8, 2017
3. Mercado, I. S. The Chris Connor Bio-Discography: Atlantic Period, accessed February 8, 2017
4. Yanow, Scott. Chris Connor / Maynard Ferguson – Two's Company: Review at AllMusic . Retrieved February 8, 2017.
5. Tynan, John A. (August 17, 1961). "Chris Connor: Two's Company with Maynard Ferguson and Chris Connor". DownBeat . Vol. 28, no. 17. p. 36.
6. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 299. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.