About Me
One of the biggest music names in the world - and certainly the biggest in the jazz trumpet sphere - internatioanlly renowned jazz sensation Maynard Ferguson is now gone. I first learned of Maynard, like so many others, as a young High School trumpet player. That was back in the 70's and it was absolutely amazing to see and hear young HS trumpet players first "discover" Maynard all the way up until his last concerts & clinics. One man, spanning decades, influencing countless thousands of students and fans.
From his humble beginnings in Montreal to his tenure as the elder statesman and producer, Maynard kept pushing forward, refusing to grow stiff in his living legend status. A child prodigy, Maynard was playing piano and violin at the age of four. After discovering the trumpet and receiving a scholarship to the French Conservatory of Music, he soloed with the Canadian Broadcasting Company Orchestra when he was just 13. Later, as a Montreal band leader, Maynard was able to play with all of the top names in Big Band music as they passed through the city, gaining invaluable experience. He wowed them all and impressed Kenton so much that he urged the 20'ish trumpeter to relocate to the US and join his orchestra. From that point on, the young Maynard virtuoso became well known throughout the jazz world and his amazing upper register became his calling card.
Maynard constantly expanded his horizons and experimented with his creativity in order to stay on the edge and push the limits of what's happening. He once said; "I'm a person of change and I must be honest to my artistry and my creativity. That's part of the word 'jazz', it's an adventure." He became an educator/clinician, composer, instrument designer, record producer, symphonic artist, and his ensembles and bands were where the top young talent of the day cut their teeth under the toutalege of a master.
Maynard maintained his heavy on-the-road concert itinerary until his last days. He and his band typically spent nine months a year with almost nightly performances at festivals, concert halls, jazz clubs, High School and College clinics and performances around the globe. His band was arguably the premier jazz big band on the road. Despite his lengthening years, he always had that magical glint in his eye during his concerts and thrived on the performance of his band and the awe and thanks of his audience. He will remain a vital force in the world of jazz he has contributed to for over four decades.
Perhaps his most rewarding and happiest venue was with the students. He was a potent force in the world of music education, making time to personally encourage young musicians. He delighted in sitting down with school kids and probably gained as much from their enthusiasm as he gave. "When I was young I listened to as many different trumpeters as possible and tried to learn from each of them." he once said. "If a student is a Maynard Ferguson freak, I immediately tell him to go out and listen to Dizzy, Miles, Freddie Hubbard, and Louis Armstrong. I try to teach them that one of the rewards of playing music is when you start to sound like yourself." In recent years, Rowan University has established the Maynard Ferguson Institute of Jazz. It plans to implement the Maynard philosophy of achieving excellence through "finding the fun in music." Don DeMicheal perhaps described Maynard best when he said; "And yet Maynard probably has had more influence among trumpet players than most of the brass angels put together. Can't see it? Then go listen to any of the big jazz bands in high schools and colleges across the country. Thousands of young trumpeters are trying their darndest to sound like M.F. Those who have never been professional musicians often fail to understand that musicians listen to music differently than say, critics. Musicians look for and admire instrumental facility in their fellows, as well as imagination and creativity. Few are the ones who don't stand in awe of Maynard's ability to soar into the musical stratosphere, fly up near the sun, and then return to earth without singed wings, without bleeding lips. Musicians dig chops, and Maynard's got chops - more chops than anybody else."
So, this then, is my Maynard Ferguson Tribute Page. The man is gone but the legend, the spirit, the sound remain. We'll miss you greatly Boss but thanks for leaving a legacy that will forever brighten our day and for a life time of thrill, awe, excitement, and enjoyment.
