M.F. Horn 4&5: Live at Jimmy's is the 6th big band album by Canadian jazztrumpeterMaynard Ferguson for Columbia Records. Live at Jimmy's was recorded during a lunchtime event, where members of the press and record company executives were invited to hear Maynard and his band play a special two-hour mid-day concert.
Background
During the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival (which had been moved to New York City the year before), Maynard and his band were playing a series of dates at Jimmy Ryan'sjazz club on West 52nd street. After recording Ella Fitzgerald'sperformance for the festival at Carnegie Hall, producer Teo Macero and music critic Mort Goode went over to Jimmy's to catch Maynard's set later that evening, along with a handful of Columbia Records executives. Due to the excitement of the performance and the quality of the venue, it was quickly decided that this needed to be captured for a live album.
The thought came up that quickly. Record the band "live" in the room and capture the tremendous feeling that was pouring out. But Maynard was closing two nights later. There was no time to make arrangements. They couldn't extend the stay even one extra night. But they would come back from upstate New York where they were working Sunday and record during the day on Tuesday.
— Mort Goode, M.F. Horn 4&5: Live at Jimmy's, liner notes[1]
Live at Jimmy's was well received by fans and critics alike. According to Scott Yanow at AllMusic, "This double LP is easily Maynard Ferguson's best jazz-oriented recording for Columbia."[2]
