MAYNARD FERGUSON
Trumpet Player - Performer
Born May 4, 1928 - Died August 23, 2006
Born near Montreal, Canada and moved to the United States in 1949. After playing in the bands of Boyd Raeburn, Jimmy Dorsey, and Charlie Barnett for a short while, he accepted an offer to join the Stan Kenton 40 piece Innovations Orchestra. That was short lived and Kenton went back to his 19 piece jazz orchestra where Ferguson continued with him for the next three years. I heard that band several times where the brass section of that great Kenton band with Ferguson all but blew out the back wall of the Chase Club of the Chase Hotel in St. Louis to SRO audiences. Especially when they played Kenton's theme "Artistry in Rhythm." Listening to that stood your hair straight on end. If you were fortunate enough to have heard that band, with Maynard Ferguson, by all means, hang on to those sounds and memories. You are not likely to hear that again.
Ferguson left Kenton to play for Paramount Pictures. He appeared on 46 soundtracks including The Ten Commandments. He enjoyed the steady checks coming in but became bored and restless for the desire to perform for live audiences. He played in India, formed a band in England, returned to New York in 1973 recruiting talented musicians from Texas and Miami music colleges. Ferguson performed a trumpet number as a part of the closing ceremonies for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
Playing his trumpet was Ferguson's life. He was one of the best players ever. Single performance, jazz bands, symphonic backgrounds, film scores, it didn't matter. Just so he could play his trumpet and enjoy people. He had to involve himself with the audience. He remained an exciting performer, touring nine months a year until his death. Most everyone remembers the theme "Gonna Fly Now" from the movie Rocky. That's Ferguson playing the trumpet.
I enjoyed meeting him to sign The Tablecloth at a nearby motel to Fox School, Rickman Auditorium in Arnold, Missouri February 25, 1995. "I've heard about your tablecloth Walter. Thanks for asking me to sign it, I'm quite proud to do it." he said seriously. He was a very pleasant and energetic man as I'm sure you can see here in this photo. Fantastic trumpet player, showman, and performer. Audiences loved Maynard Ferguson. End of an era of super high ranged, screaming, blasting trumpet players. My friend Bob Young and I caught one of his shows at Westport Playhouse in St. Louis one night in 1999. A most memorable evening. Maynard was at his best. A True "Music Legend."