Jazz trumpeter and bandleader, born in Montreal, Canada. He began playing the piano and violin as a child before switching to the trumpet at age nine. Highly talented, he performed as a featured soloist with the Canadian Broadcasting Company Orchestra at age 13, and left school two years later to become a professional musician. He was soon leading his own band, and in the late 1940s moved to the USA, joining Jimmy Dorsey, with whom he made his first recordings. During 19506 he was a member of the Stan Kenton orchestra, where he became known for his astonishing speed and flamboyant technique. He led his own bands from 1956, and in 1967 settled in London for a time. Back in the USA, in 1977 he recorded the Grammy-nominated Gonna Fly Now for the soundtrack of the Rocky films, starring Sylvester Stallone. He continued to record well into his later years, making more than 60 albums, and from 1988 until his death he performed with his Big Bop Nouveau jazz band. In 2005 he received the Order of Canada, his country's highest civilian honour.
| Maynard Ferguson | |
|---|---|
| Born |
May 4, 1928 Verdun, Canada |
| Died |
August 23, 2006 Ventura, California |
| Occupation | Trumpet player, jazz bandleader, singer |
Walter "Maynard" Ferguson (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian-born jazz trumpet player and bandleader.
Biography
Early life and education
Walter Maynard Ferguson was born in Verdun, Quebec (now part of Montreal).
Ferguson dropped out of Montreal High School at age 15 to more actively pursue a music career, performing in dance bands led by Stan Wood, Roland David, and Johnny Holmes. Ferguson later took over the dance band formed by his brother Percy, playing dates in the Montreal area and serving as an opening act for touring bands from the United States. During this period, Ferguson came to the attention of numerous American band leaders and began receiving offers to come to the United States.
Ferguson moved to the United States in 1949 and initially played with the bands of Boyd Raeburn, Jimmy Dorsey, and Charlie Barnet.
Kenton and Hollywood
Stan Kenton had a longstanding offer to Ferguson but had temporarily disbanded when Ferguson moved to the United States. Kenton's bands were notable for their bombastic brass sections and Ferguson was a natural fit. In 1950, Kenton formed the Innovations Orchestra, a 40-piece jazz concert orchestra with strings, and with the folding of the Barnet band, Ferguson was available for the first rehearsal on January 1, 1950.
When Kenton returned to a more practical 19-piece jazz band, Ferguson continued with him.
In 1953, Ferguson left Kenton to become a first-call session player for Paramount Pictures. Ferguson still recorded jazz during this period, but his Paramount contract prevented him from playing jazz clubs.
The Birdland Dream Band
In 1956, Ferguson was tapped to lead the Birdland Dream Band, a 14-piece big band formed by Morris Levy as an "All-star" lineup to play at Levy's Birdland jazz club in New York City. While the name "Birdland Dream Band" was short-lived and is represented by only two albums, this band became the core of Ferguson's performing band for the next nine years.
As big bands declined in popularity and economic viability in the 1960s, Ferguson's band performed more infrequently. Ferguson began performing with a sextet before finally officially disbanding his big band in 1967.
India and England
Following the path taken by many important jazz artists in the 1960s, Ferguson left the United States in 1968.
In 1969 Ferguson signed with CBS Records in England and formed a big band with British musicians that performed in the newly popular jazz/rock fusion style.
Return to the U.S.
Ferguson's new band made its North American debut in 1971. With a revived career, Ferguson relocated to New York in 1973 and gradually replaced his sidemen with American performers while reducing the band size to 12 (four trumpets, two trombones, three saxophones and three rhythm plus Maynard). Ferguson latched on to the burgeoning jazz education movement by recruiting talented musicians from colleges with jazz programs (notably Berklee College of Music, North Texas State University and the University of Miami) and targeting young audiences with performances and master classes in high schools.
In 1976, Ferguson began working with producer Bob James on a series of commercially successful albums that were complex studio productions featuring large groups of session musicians, including strings, vocalists and star guest soloists.
Ferguson continued with this musical model for the remainder of the 1970s, receiving considerable acclaim from audiences but often tepid response from jazz purists who decried his commercialism and questioned his taste. Ferguson reportedly also began to experience great frustration with Columbia over being unable to use his working band on recording projects and having difficulty including even a single jazz number on some albums. Ferguson's contract with Columbia Records expired after the 1982 release of the Hollywood album, produced by Stanley Clarke
Ferguson recorded three big band albums with smaller labels in the mid 80s before forming a more economical fusion septet, High Voltage, in 1986. The format was ultimately unsatisfying to Ferguson, who had grown up in big bands and developed a performing style most appropriate to that structure.
Big Bop Nouveau
In 1988, Ferguson returned both to a large band format and to mainstream jazz with the formation of Big Bop Nouveau, a nine-piece band featuring three trumpets, one trombone, two reeds and a three-piece rhythm section.
Influence
Maynard Ferguson was one of a handful of virtuoso musician/bandleaders to survive the end of the big band era and the rise of rock and roll. Ferguson's albums show an evolution from big band swing, bebop, cool jazz, Latin, jazz/rock, fusion with classical and operatic influences.
While not the first trumpeter to play in the extreme upper register, Ferguson had a unique ability to play high notes with full, rich tone, power, and musicality.
Ferguson popularized and enhanced two unique instruments - a trumpet with both traditional valves (played with the left hand rather than the right) and a trombone-style slide called the 'Firebird' as well as a trombone with both a slide and valves called 'Superbone.' Ferguson regularly incorporated Indian instruments and influences in albums and concerts.
Personal Life
While Ferguson's life had its ups and downs, Ferguson was fortunate to have evaded the destructive behaviors that bedeviled so many other artists of his generation.
Discography
Albums
| 1953 - Jam Session Featuring Maynard Ferguson 1954 - Stratospheric 1954 - Dimensions 1954 - Maynard Ferguson's Hollywood Party 1955 - Maynard Ferguson Octet 1955 - Around the Horn 1956 - The Birdland Dream Band, Vol. 1 1956 - Maynard Ferguson and His Original Dreamband [live] 1957 - Boy with Lots of Brass 1957 - The Birdland Dream Band, Vol. 2 1958 - Swingin' My Way through College 1958 - A Message from Newport 1959 - Jazz for Dancing 1960 - Newport Suite 1960 - Maynard '61 1960 - Two's Company 1960 - Let's Face the Music and Dance 1961 - "Straightaway" Jazz Themes 1962 - Maynard '62 1962 - Maynard '63 1962 - Message from Maynard 1964 - Come Blow Your Horn 1964 - Color Him Wild 1964 - Blues Roar 1964 - The New Sound of Maynard Ferguson 1965 - The World of Maynard Ferguson 1965 - Maynard Ferguson Sextet 1965 - Six by Six: Maynard Ferguson and Sextet 1966 - Ridin' High 1967 - Sextet 1967 [live] 1967 - Orchestra 1967 [live] 1967 - Trumpet Rhapsody | 1970 - MF Horn 1 1971 - Magnitude 1972 - MF Horn 2 1973 - MF Horn 3 1973 - MF Horn 4 and 5: Live at Jimmy's 1974 - Chameleon 1976 - Primal Scream 1977 - Conquistador 1977 - New Vintage 1978 - Carnival 1979 - Hot 1980 - It's My Time 1982 - Hollywood 1983 - Storm 1984 - Live from San Francisco 1986 - Body and Soul 1987 - High Voltage, Vol. 2 1988 - Big Bop Nouveau 1992 - Footpath Cafe 1993 - Dues 1993 - Live from London 1994 - Live at Peacock Lane Hollywood 1957 1994 - Live at the Great American Music Hall, Part 1 1994 - These Cats Can Swing 1995 - Live at the Great American Music Hall, Part 2 1996 - One More Trip to Birdland 1998 - Brass Attitude 2003 - Jam Session 2004 - Live at Peacock Lane 1956 2005 - Maynard Ferguson 2006 - MF Horn 6: Live at Ronnie's |
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