Primal Scream

I don't know why I haven't given Maynard Ferguson a listen before. I am a big fan of that jazz that came out in the mid to late 1970s that includes such great musicians as Bob James, Steve Gadd, Eric Gale et al. It has connections with all the things I love from this period - disco, progressive rock, and Steely Dan (Steve Gadd played on Aja). That period has the feeling of a tight community of musicians all playing on each other albums. The hay day of the session musician.

My first exposure to MF was through listening to Primal Scream (1976) a couple of days ago. The title track starts with a scream from the horn section and progresses into an energetic funk workout. Check out this clip of Primal Scream live at the 1977 Canadian Stage Band Festival. So many highlights - MF dancing and conducting, the audience nodding heads, the conga solo - too much.

Arthur Janov wrote his book Primal Scream in 1970 outlining his experiences of practicing Primal Therapy. John Lennon is probably the first musician to show the influence of Janov's work in his song Mother (John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, 1970). Lennon had worked with Janov (pictured left with Lennon and Ono).

Influence can manifest itself in a variety of ways - Lennon putting therapy on record, MF's seriously funky horn display - not to mention the band Primal Scream (formed in 1982). All cathartic and therapeutic in their own way but perhaps progressively moving away from the true meaning of the source.