Bill McFarland and The Chicago Horns
"Fire Horns" Album
Sopro Records

SHOWCASE CHICAGO MAGAZINE
"The Midwest Music Magazine"
Article by: Nort Johnson
December 1995

        One of the best things about this disc is you can finally take the best jazz horns in Chicago home with you for a spin on your CD player.  Let's face it, not all of us have the time to go out to the Green Mill or any of the other Chicago jazz clubs on a regular basis.  It takes a lot of balls to call yourself "The Chicago Horns" but Bill McFarland, Hank Ford and Kenny Anderson don't have to worry about backing up this bold statement.

        The trio, McFarland, Ford and Anderson, virtually grew up together musically.  Trumpeter Kenny Anderson is well known as one of the leading salsa performers on the Chicago music scene.  Hank Ford on sax, has played with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Jerry Butler, Curtis Mayfield, and Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Ladies" stage shows.  And Bill McFarland, the band's leader on trombone, has played on Albert Collins' "Frostbite" album and albums with Fenton Robinson and Lonnie Brooks.  He's played live with Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Otis Clay to name a few.  They are absolutely one of the jazz world's leading sextets.

        This is the type of jazz and blues that lit up the Rush Street club circuit in the early ‘60's.  From the number one track "Harold The Great," a tribute to Chicago's great mayor, Harold Washington, who died eight years to the day of my writing this review, to track nine "Maho's Dream II."  The arrangements are clean, yet very gutsy.  It was recorded at Delmark Studios in Chicago which I suppose is a natural setting for this tight outfit.  Other class players include Rick Vitek on percussion, Mike Staron on bass and Osamu Sam Soda handling the keys.  It was mastered at Metropolis Mastering and has the big bold sound that records like this need to become jazz collectibles.  Hats off to Sopro and Moonlight Records for sending this one our way.

Article by: Nort Johnson