Maynard Ferguson could blow, no doubt about it.  The trumpeter renowned for his upper register was a child prodigy, one-time member of the great Stan Kenton’s band, and one of those rare jazz greats whose sound borders on ubiquitous.  Listen to “Eli’s Comin” from M.F. and tell me your addled brain doesn’t conjure up every old NFL film you ever saw:

Growing up I had a neighborhood friend who idolized Maynard Ferguson, not only because he blew a kick ass horn but because he played our little town in South Carolina with some regularity, and he was always kind to the band kids who came out to see him.  A good man with a discography around 70 albums deep and who knows how many soundtrack sessions, we lost Maynard back in 2006, age 78.

So yeah, I have nothing but good things to say about the man and his music, and nothing but bad things to say about the cover of 1970’s M.F.  My guess is that the designer chose that color scheme to create the sense that three squares are moving — the orange and green fighting with each other, etc.  Instead it looks more like the art director was color blind and Maynard is smiling bravely while working a bad taco through.

Yep, please welcome M.F. to the Bad Album Cover Hall of Fame.