Maynard Ferguson

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Maynard Ferguson : biography

May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006

"Ferguson lit up thousands of young horn players, most of them boys, with pride and excitement. In a (high school) world often divided between jocks and band nerds, Ferguson crossed over, because he approached his music almost as an athletic event. On stage, he strained, sweated, heaved and roared. He nailed the upper registers like Shaq nailing a dunk or Lawrence Taylor nailing a running back – and the audience reaction was exactly the same: the guttural shout, the leap to their feet, the fists in the air. We cheered Maynard as a gladiator, a combat soldier, a prize fighter, a circus strongman – choose your masculine archetype."David Von Drehle, , Washington Post, 2006-08-26.

Ferguson designed and popularized two unique instruments called the ‘Firebird’ and the ‘Superbone’. The Firebird was similar to a trumpet, but had the valves played with the left hand (instead of the right) and a trombone-style slide played with the right hand. Indian-American trumpeter Rajesh Mehta bought this trumpet while living in Amsterdam and played the Firebird in his own innovative music contexts from 1998 until 2011 when he had American trumpet maker George Schlub create the Orka-M Naga Phoenix trumpet for him. The Superbone was another hybrid instrument, which was fundamentally a trombone with additional valves played with the left hand. Ferguson regularly incorporated Indian instruments and influences in albums and concerts.

Shortly before his death, he received the Man of Music Award by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, of which he was a member. The Maynard Ferguson Institute of Jazz Studies at Rowan University was created in 2000, the same year Rowan bestowed Ferguson with his only Honorary Doctorate degree. The Institute, currently under direction of Ferguson’s longtime friend and fellow musician Denis Diblasio, supports the Rowan Jazz Program in training young jazz musicians.

Maynard Ferguson band alumni regrouped for a highly emotional memorial concert soon after his death, fronted by high range trumpeters Wayne Bergeron, Patrick Hession, Walter White, and Eric Miyashiro. A DVD of the concert was released, also featuring footage of Ferguson in performance, and spoken tributes from colleagues. A similar ensemble united for a tribute concert on what would have been Ferguson’s 80th birthday. Other occasional groupings and concerts, often with Ferguson band alumni, have occurred. In addition, several tribute albums by a variety of noted trumpeters have been released, helping to keep Ferguson’s music alive, and serve as a legacy for future generations. Of course, Ferguson’s own rich recorded legacy remains to thrill, awe, entertain, and inspire.

Discography

  • 1954 – Jam Session featuring Maynard Ferguson (EmArcy)
  • 1954 – Jam Session (EmArcy) – with Clifford Brown and Clark Terry
  • 1954-55 – Dimensions (EmArcy)
  • 1955 – Maynard Ferguson Octet (EmArcy)
  • 1955 – Maynard Ferguson’s Hollywood Party (EmArcy)
  • 1955 – Around the Horn
  • 1956 – The Birdland Dream Band, Vol. 1
  • 1957 – The Birdland Dream Band, Vol. 2
  • 1957 – Boy with Lots of Brass
  • 1958 – Swingin’ My Way Through College
  • 1958 – A Message from Newport
  • 1959 – A Message from Birdland
  • 1959 – Jazz for Dancing
  • 1960 – Newport Suite
  • 1960 – Maynard ’61
  • 1960 – Double Exposure (with Chris Connor)
  • 1961 – Let’s Face the Music and Dance
  • 1961 – "Straightaway" Jazz Themes
  • 1961 – Two’s Company (with Chris Connor)
  • 1962 – Maynard ’62
  • 1962 – Si! Si! M.F.
  • 1962 – Message from Maynard
  • 1963 – Maynard ’63
  • 1963 – Maynard ’64
  • 1964 – The New Sound of Maynard Ferguson
  • 1964 – Come Blow Your Horn
  • 1964 – Color Him Wild (Reissued as "Dues")
  • 1964 – Blues Roar (Reissued as "Screamin’ Blues")
  • 1965 – Maynard Ferguson Sextet (Reissued as "Six By Six", also see entry for "Magnitude")
  • 1966 – Ridin’ High
  • 1968 – Trumpet Rhapsody
  • 1969 – Ballad Style of Maynard Ferguson
  • 1970 – M.F. Horn (also released as "The World of Maynard Ferguson")
  • 1971 – Maynard Ferguson (also released as Alive and Well in London)
  • 1972 – M.F. Horn Two
  • 1973 – M.F. Horn 3
  • 1974 – M.F. Horn 4 & 5: Live at Jimmy’s
  • 1974 – Chameleon
  • 1976 – Primal Scream
  • 1977 – Montreux Summit Vol 1
  • 1977 – Montreux Summit Vol 2
  • 1977 – Conquistador
  • 1977 – New Vintage
  • 1978 – Carnival
  • 1979 – Uncle Joe Shannon
  • 1979 – Hot
  • 1980 – It’s My Time
  • 1982 – Hollywood
  • 1983 – Storm
  • 1984 – Live from San Francisco
  • 1986 – Body and Soul
  • 1987 – High Voltage, Vol. 1
  • 1988 – High Voltage, Vol. 2
  • 1990 – Big Bop Nouveau
  • 1991 – Magnitude (Reissue of "Maynard Ferguson Sextet" with previously unreleased material)
  • 1992 – Footpath Cafe
  • 1993 – Live from London
  • 1994 – These Cats Can Swing
  • 1994 – Complete Roulette Recordings (Contains previously unreleased material)
  • 1996 – One More Trip to Birdland
  • 1998 – Brass Attitude
  • 1999 – Big City Rhythms (with Michael Feinstein)
  • 2001 – Swingin’ for Schuur (with Diane Schuur)
  • 2004 – All Stars Jam Session (Complete Dinah Washington Jam Session with previously unreleased material)
  • 2006 – M.F. Horn VI: Live at Ronnie’s
  • 2007 – Sextet 1967 (Previously released live in studio recordings for the CBC)
  • 2007 – Orchestra 1967 (Previously released live in studio recordings for the CBC)
  • 2007 – The One and Only
  • 2012 – Complete Cameo Recordings (Contains previously unreleased material)

As sideman

With Georgie Auld

  • In the Land of Hi-Fi with Georgie Auld and His Orchestra (EmArcy, 1955)

With Dinah Washington

  • Dinah Jams (Emarcy, 1954)