Editing Maynard Ferguson (section)

===The Birdland Dream Band===
Ferguson played with the [[Pérez Prado|Pérez Prado Orchestra]] on the LP ''Havana 3 A.M.'', recorded in February and March 1956. In 1956, he joined the Birdland Dream Band, a 14-piece big band formed by [[Morris Levy]] as an "all-star" line-up,<ref name="AMG"/> to play at Levy's [[Birdland (jazz club)|Birdland]] jazz club in New York City. Although the name "Birdland Dream Band" was short-lived and is represented by only two albums over the course of a year, this band became the core of Ferguson's performing band for the next nine years.

The band included [[Mike Abene]], [[Jaki Byard]], [[Bill Chase]], [[Ronnie Cuber]], [[Frankie Dunlop]], [[Don Ellis]], [[Joe Farrell]], [[Dusko Goykovich]], [[Tony Inzalaco]], [[Rufus "Speedy" Jones|Rufus Jones]], [[Willie Maiden]], [[Ron McClure]], [[Rob McConnell]], [[Don Menza]], [[Lanny Morgan]], [[Wayne Shorter]], and [[Joe Zawinul]]. Those who were both arrangers and performers included [[Herb Geller]], [[Slide Hampton]], [[Bill Holman (musician)|Bill Holman]], and [[Don Sebesky]].<ref name="New Grove" />

In 1959, Ferguson was a guest with the [[New York Philharmonic|New York Philharmonic Orchestra]] under the direction of [[Leonard Bernstein]], performing ''Symphony No. 2 in C "Titans"'' by [[William Russo (musician)|William Russo]].

In 1961, Ferguson composed the theme music for the 1961–1962 [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] adventure drama television series ''[[Straightaway (TV series)|Straightaway]]''. His 1961 album ''[["Straightaway" Jazz Themes]]'' contained the music he composed for the series.

As big bands declined in popularity and economic viability in the 1960s, Ferguson's band performed less frequently. He began to feel musically stifled and sensed a resistance to change among his American jazz audiences. According to an interview in ''[[DownBeat]]'', he was quoted as saying that if the band did not play "Maria" or "Ole," the fans went home disappointed. He began performing with a sextet before shutting down his big band in 1966.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.angelfire.com/ca/mferguson/PradoCDs.html|title=Perez Prado CDs with Maynard Ferguson|website=Angelfire.com|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref>