Jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson dead at 78

[Coyote]

One of my Jazz Icons is dead.

The first time I heard Maynard in a live performance was at the Rainbow
Rendezvous
in Salt Lake City around 1950 when he played with Stan Kenton.

I was a student at BYU when Stan and Maynard came to the university for a
visit with music students during this time frame.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-08-24-ferguson-obit_x.htm

[Coyote]

"Coyote" <noname@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:w5WdnfIk_M1apHPZnZ2dnUVZ_uudnZ2d@scnresearch.com...
> One of my Jazz Icons is dead.
>
> The first time I heard Maynard in a live performance was at the Rainbow
> Rendezvous
> in Salt Lake City around 1950 when he played with Stan Kenton.
>
> I was a student at BYU when Stan and Maynard came to the university for a
> visit with music students during this time frame.
>
> http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-08-24-ferguson-obit_x.htm
>
>

A small item about Maynard.

"
Note from Matt Keller, webmaster of MaynardFerguson.com:
I was 15 when I first heard a Maynard Ferguson recording. I had been
involved with my school's music program for several years, but it was
beginning to bore me. An upper-classman handed me his copy of "Live From San
Francisco" and told me to listen to it. My first thought was, "Maynard
Ferguson? Odd name."

That night I first heard the tune "Coconut Champagne". I've never looked at
the trumpet the same way again. Hearing Maynard Ferguson play for the first
time is a unique experience for a trumpet player. It's as though the world
was in black and white before...and suddenly you can see colors. I joined
the jazz band and was playing lead trumpet a year later.

Maynard's unique style has spawned hundreds of imitators over the years.
Many were able to hit the same high notes that became Maynard's trademark,
but none seemed quite as proficient at transmitting the sheer joy and
positive energy that Maynard put into every single one of his performances.

Many styles of music conjure up various images and descriptions, but to me,
Maynard's approach to music always brought to mind one word: Triumph.
Maynard's music is nothing less than triumph personified. When Maynard was
on stage, and he planted his feet and lifted his horn straight up into the
air, every fan in that concert hall knew what was coming: Triumph.

The number of lives that Maynard touched over the years is truly
immeasurable. How many young people got the message that music was fun, not
just practicing scales, from Maynard's music? How many small towns packed
their high school auditoriums to hear a "big time jazz artist" play? And how
many thousands of autographs did Maynard sign with a smile on his face?
Maynard wasn't only one of the best musicians I ever heard, he was one of
the most positive, kind, and generous people I ever knew.

I'll miss you, Boss.

Matt Keller"

http://www.maynardferguson.com/

[David]

On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 16:44:08 -0700, "Coyote" <noname@nomail.com>
wrote:

>One of my Jazz Icons is dead.
>
>The first time I heard Maynard in a live performance was at the Rainbow
>Rendezvous
>in Salt Lake City around 1950 when he played with Stan Kenton.
>
>I was a student at BYU when Stan and Maynard came to the university for a
>visit with music students during this time frame.
>
>http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-08-24-ferguson-obit_x.htm
>
He used to sit on Tim Leary's roof and play trumpet while everyone was
tripping (except for G. Gordon Liddy, hiding in the bushes, of
course).

[Bill Kraski]

Coyote wrote:

> I was a student at BYU when Stan and Maynard came to the university
> for a visit with music students during this time frame.

Back in the days when I was playing my favorite music on the air, I had
the opportunity to mc concerts for both (separately). I was always
impressed with the fact that the truly great were usually also the most
humble & down to earth. Both did as much to make me look good at mcing
& interviews as giving myself & the rest of the audience some of the
best musical evenings you'd ever want.

--
Bill K