Comments on: Maynard Ferguson, RIP

Maynard Ferguson, RIP

Saucy Intruder — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:00:42 -0800

Here's a dot ^{^{^.}} an octave and a half above high C for the legendary jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, who has passed away at 78. Building on the experimental wanderings of Miles Davis, Ferguson fused jazz and rock in creating what is quite probably the signature big band sound of the psychadelic and disco eras. (See, e.g., "Rocky" (.wav).) He was well-known for astounding technical proficiency and his tight-lipped embochure created one of the largest ranges of any trumpeter. (Here's Ferguson playing and conducting "Round Midnight" in a very early clip [youtube]). But legions of former high school trumpet geeks full disclosure: I am one will remember him best for his commitment to signing promising young players for his tours and his reaching out, with tireless touring at tiny venues, to high school and college bandies and drum corps-types who at one time or another came across his repertoire.

By: CodeBaloo

CodeBaloo — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:07:02 -0800

One of the greatest ever -- played notes so high the audiences' lips would bleed! Used to go see him at Blues Alley frequently... a few of us even visited with him on his tour bus for about half an hour after one show. Last time I saw him was in 1990, and he was lookin' suddenly and noticeably "old" (compared to previous shows) then, so I'm actually surprised he lasted this long.

By: QuietDesperation

QuietDesperation — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:10:34 -0800

Just saw him a couple of years ago, and he was still a delight. RIP Maynard. By the way, his album Screamin' Blues is a gem.

By: dw

dw — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:15:05 -0800

Someone once asked me what the difference was between American high school/college bands and English colliery bands. I said that no colliery band would ever play Maynard Ferguson's arrangement of "Macarthur Park," much less do it while marching in formation on a football field. Every horn-playing band geek in America is in mourning tonight. (Note: I was not a band geek, just a regular geek.)

By: Clamwacker

Clamwacker — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:37:44 -0800

OK, wait... how did get that dot up there, and still make it on the same line of text? Now my brain hurts.

By: liquorice

liquorice — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:43:56 -0800

Is it just me or are the top two lines of text on this post all garbled together?

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:53:50 -0800

Here's a dot for Maynard: So high above middle C no one can see or hear it. Even dogs can't hear it. It's already made it past that little dwarf Pluto, and is now heading straight for trumpet player heaven, where Miles rules over all.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:57:33 -0800

Actually, Miles corules, along with Louis Armstrong.

By: Joseph Gurl

Joseph Gurl — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:01:10 -0800

Ferguson seems to have fallen into general disregard as a player (though still, of course, revered as a technician on the instrument and an all-time high-note acrobat), but I think it's unfair. Sure he usually worked mostly in pretty trodden areas of the music, but he did some underrated arrangements, and if you do the listening work, you'll hear some fine development and ideas in his solos. Oh, yeah, and he could play soooo fucking high. (If only he'd also gone as low as Bill Dixon, hehe).

By: Jerub

Jerub — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:09:28 -0800

Another Master Passes ^{^{^.}}

By: nlindstrom

nlindstrom — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:51:42 -0800

Her name is Dot and she is high:

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 01:05:42 -0800

Our paths crossed several times. It was a pleasure sharing the stage with him. * (that was his embouchure)

By: Duncan

Duncan — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 01:44:39 -0800

By: Duncan

Duncan — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 02:05:55 -0800

One last trip to Birdland

By: Devils Slide

Devils Slide — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 02:13:13 -0800

Is it just me or are the top two lines of text on this post all garbled together? Same here. Jerub's comment is mashed into the "posted by..." line too.

By: konolia

konolia — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 05:03:17 -0800

I saw him live back in the seventies at NCSU. I managed to snag the paper cup he was sipping out of during the performance, which to my surprise reeked of alcohol. Maybe that explained the high notes!

By: ZenMasterThis

ZenMasterThis — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 05:23:24 -0800

Saw him three times over the years. First time was around 1975. (I'm also a former trumpet geek.) .

By: TedW

TedW — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 05:52:48 -0800

. Also worth noting that that is an excellent example of how to do an obit FPP.

By: barrista

barrista — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 06:10:38 -0800

I saw Maynard Ferguson 30 years ago at a high school in a small town in Western Washington state. I was astounded at what he could do with a horn. It was a performance I never forgot!

By: longbaugh

longbaugh — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 06:11:19 -0800

Gotta Fly Now, Maynard .

By: kozad

kozad — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 06:57:16 -0800

When he came to my college for a concert in about 1972 I heard someone backstage, early, warming up. I thought it was a violinist.

By: jonp72

jonp72 — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 07:02:18 -0800

Did Maynard Ferguson's wife convince Timothy Leary to try LSD for the first time? Long before psychedelia was a gleam in the Beatles' kaleidoscope eyes, Maynard Ferguson may have been the first musician to take LSD. .

By: infidelpants

infidelpants — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 07:10:38 -0800

As an amateur trumpet player who was usually the only one in my band able to play anywhere near Maynard's register, I always ended up playing his parts. I don't think I ever had any more fun in jazz than when I was doing one of his arrangements.

By: papakwanz

papakwanz — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 08:03:32 -0800

He was a good player who did some good arrangements. RIP, mf.

By: Relay

Relay — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 08:14:01 -0800

Gabriel, move over to second trumpet.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 08:20:59 -0800

. I always like seeing his name on older jazz recordings. Allmusic has a short bio that captures the accomplishments and the conflicted feelings a lot of jazzheads have about Maynard's post-1974 stuff. And that's great about the LSD.

By: straight

straight — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 08:25:25 -0800

When I was in high school, Maynard was my favorite musician. I listened to his albums all the time. I know he did some "respectable" jazz (which I also enjoy), but his exuberant pop-sounding stuff was the soundtrack of my youth and when I pull out his arrangements of "Birdland," "La Fiesta," "Chameleon," "Gonna Fly Now," "Country Road," "Shaft," "Livin' for the City," "Sesame Street," "Got the Spirit" "Coconut Champagne," "Jet," "The Foxhunt," "MF Carnival," "Stella by Starlight," "Airegin," I crank those puppies up and rock out like it was Van Halen or Aerosmith. Thanks for all the fun music, Maynard. .

By: straight

straight — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 08:29:00 -0800

That Allmusic page is hilarious. I love the "moods" list for Maynard: * Brash * Boisterous * Confident * Energetic * Rousing * Playful * Intense * Amiable/ Good-Natured * Freewheeling * Passionate * Exuberant * Indulgent * Party/ Celebratory * Fun * Sophisticated * Brassy * Slick * Reverent * Sensual * Earthy * Carefree

By: kurumi

kurumi — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 08:33:54 -0800

He visited our high school symphonic band (I played trombone); got to chat with him for a few minutes; then we saw him in concert at UConn. He finished with "Hey Jude", and at each iteration of the "nanana naaaa", he played ^{another ^{octave ^higher.}} It had me thinking of grains of rice on chessboards. (<sup> tag was made for this gentleman)

By: QuietDesperation

QuietDesperation — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 08:50:38 -0800

Gabriel, move over to second trumpet. Third. Dizzy's there already, remember.

By: ozomatli

ozomatli — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 11:16:19 -0800

Gabriel, move over to second trumpet. Third. Dizzy's there already, remember. posted by QuietDesperation at 10:50 AM CST on August 25 [+] [!] Fourth at highest, first chair will always be Brownie.

By: felix betachat

felix betachat — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 18:06:35 -0800

Oh man. I'm another former trumpet geek whose happiest pre-age-of-majority moment was watching Maynard Ferguson walking through an auditorium playing "Gonna Fly Now". That man could blow. .

By: deemer

deemer — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 18:47:22 -0800