Maynard Ferguson has passed

[Christiern]

I'll look for details, but word is that Maynard has passed.

Keep scrolling for details.

Edited August 24, 2006 by Christiern

[White Lightning]

Sad news.

I really enjoy his "Birdland Dream Band" sessions as well as the period with Slide Hampton on board.

RIP

[Robert J]

Sad news indeed. The pride of Verdun, Quebec

Edited August 24, 2006 by Robert J

[milestones20]

http://trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.p...ce344dea505085f

For a trumpet geek like myself, this is a very sad day.

[Claude]

Sad news

http://p081.ezboard.com/fmaynardfergusonbo...icID=8352.topic

[Christiern]

Maynard Ferguson 5/4/28 - 8/23/06

After recently completing a new live recording and closing out his amazing performing career with a historic run at Birdland last month in NYC, Maynard Ferguson passed away peacefully in Canada Wednesday evening. Kidney failure was give as the cause of death.

Edited August 24, 2006 by Christiern

[catesta]

R.I.P.

[brownie]

Real sad news!

Always liked the band he led in the fifties and sixties!

[Chuck Nessa]

Heard the band many times in the early '60s and it was always a blast. He was always so positive.

[Jazz Kat]

Seemed like he was really going strong these days. This is sad to hear. I just discovered him about a year ago. I'll go play more of his stuff now.

RIP

[GA Russell]

I'm sorry to hear it. I have been sitting on one of his Big Bop Nouveau albums for quite some time, so I think I will open it up today and give it a listen in memoriam.

I've never heard his Mosaic Roulette material, and I've always been curious about it. I hope an album or two from it is released.

[B. Goren.]

RIP Mr. Ferguson.

[DukeCity]

Sad news indeed. I got a call late last night with the news. I played on Maynard's band for almost three years, and Chuck's comment about Maynard's positive attitude is spot on. Sure, the band was quite a bit of "higher, faster, louder" and we play the theme from "Rocky" almost every night, but there were some memorable moments of great music making, too. It was the late 1980's going into the '90's, and Maynard was already into his early 60's but there were nights when he would play a line and we would just stand there with our mouths open. Our common response was, "Oh yeah, that's why it's his name on the t-shirts."

Lots and lots of hours on the bus, and a million different memories.

R.I.P.

[Robert J]

Here is the statement released by Maynard's management.

LEGENDARY MUSICIAN MAYNARD FERGUSON DIES

Grammy Nominated Trumpeter Known for "Gonna Fly Now"

Theme To Movie "ROCKY" was 78

Ojai, CA (August 24, 2006) - Walter "Maynard" Ferguson, one of the most influential musicians and band leaders in the history of Jazz, passed away August 23rd at 9:00 pm Pacific Time at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, California. He was 78 years old. His death was the result of kidney and liver failure brought on by an abdominal infection. Mr. Ferguson's four daughters, Kim, Lisa, Corby, and Wilder were at his side when he passed away after this brief illness. He spoke by phone with his friend and manager Steve Schankman from St. Louis, longtime tour manager Ed Sargent, and friend, and fellow trumpeter Arturo Sandoval.

Mr. Ferguson had recently returned home to California from New York after several sold out performances in July at the famed Blue Note Club plus. During this time, Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau band also recorded a new album at Bennett Studios in Englewood, New Jersey.

Maynard Ferguson, born May 4th 1928 in Montreal, started his career at the age of 13 when he performed as a featured soloist with the Canadian Broadcasting Company Orchestra. He played with some of the great Big Band Leaders of the 1940's including Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Barnett, Jimmy Dorsey and Stan Kenton. In 1945, at age 17, Ferguson became the leader of his own Big Band. The 78-year old musical phenomenon went on to record more than 60 albums, receiving numerous honors and awards including the GRAMMY® nomination for "Gonna Fly Now." In 2005, Ferguson was awarded Canada's highest civilian honor, the "Order of Canada" from the Right Honorable Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. In addition to those accolades, Ferguson has been the recipient of DownBeat Magazine's prestigious "DownBeat" Award.

"The Boss," as Ferguson is known, has been performing for packed houses for decades. His recent DVD release, "Live at The Top," captures one of his most memorable performances, a concert held at the Plaza Hotel in Rochester New York in 1975, with Ferguson performing alongside fellow music pioneers Stan Mark, Ernie Garside and Bruce Johnston. Most recently, Ferguson and Big Bop Nouveau Band had been touring the United States. He was preparing for a Fall Tour beginning mid-September in Tokyo, Japan. He had also been invited to play for the King of Thailand's 80th birthday in January.

Mr. Ferguson's body will be cremated in his hometown of Ojai, California. Memorial contributions can be made to the Maynard Ferguson Music Scholarship Fund at University of Missouri - St. Louis, which was established by Steve Schankman at Maynard's 75th birthday celebration. Mr. Schankman and the Ferguson family are planning a memorial concert to take place in St. Louis which will feature many of the band's alumni as and friends who Mr. Ferguson performed with during his more than 60-year musical career.

Mr. Ferguson's latest, and last, recording will be released later this year as a legacy to the life of Maynard Ferguson.

[J.A.W.]

Sad news.

[Ken Dryden]

He will be missed. He was in great spirits when I talked to him in June, as he was preparing to go on extended tour.

[sidewinder]

This is really sad news, I was looking forward to the chance to get to see him live again, somehow this has eluded me though. Always remember his 'feature' at the Montreal Olympics - RIP. The Mosaic box will be coming out tonight in tribute.

[JSngry]

His name was Walter? Who knew?

Gotta say, I always had a lot of respect for Maynard. He himself was comfortable with the role as "showman" (although he was a respectable "professional" improvisor), but other than the unfortunate incident w/Jaki Byard & the Dolphy-Little gig, I never heard anything even remotely implying that he wasn't all about letting his band (players & writers alike) do their thing.

Much props for bandleaders like that. They are few and far between.

[Free For All]

Very sorry to hear this.

Maynard was a staple of my high school jazz festival experiences. It was common at that time for him to invite the kids in the audience to join the band on stage for their closer, which at that time was "Hey Jude".

My buddy (Miles251 as he is known here) and I did this once, and it was a thrill of a lifetime. I think it was experiences like that that led me to realize that music was my future.

I never played in Maynard's band, but when I was on Woody's band we did a short tour with some extra guests- Nancy Wilson, Billy Eckstine and Maynard. It was great to hang with Maynard for those couple weeks- he'd come hang in the back of the bus and tell stories endlessly. He was a great guy, a great showman, musician and bandleader.

Maybe we can get DukeCity to share some more stories.

I'll always have a fond place in my heart for Maynard. RIP.

BTW, I'm still waiting for "Live at Jimmy's" to come out on CD.

[Rooster_Ties]

The only jazz musician I ever gave a ride to -- in my robin's egg blue (w/ a white vinyl hardtop) '66 Mustang -- from his hotel to the gig at the jazz bar* I use to hang out at religiously (circa 1995).

Seemed like a pretty nice guy, as I recall. RIP.

*Never worked there to the point of getting a real paycheck, but I used to work the door for them for national-act shows, and other odds and ends - in exchange for free tickets to everything that ever played there, and pretty much never having to pay for drinks at the bar (not a half bad deal either, I might add). I'd also work in the kitchen for the "smooth jazz" dates that I didn't give a rip about, and I'd have front-row seats for all the dates I could ever want.

Edited August 24, 2006 by Rooster_Ties

[ASNL77]

Very sad news His Mosaic set is full of great music.

R.I.P

[David Ayers]

R.I.P.

We are big fans of Maynard after seeing his more recent London appearances.

[tjobbe]

sad news .....

[ghost of miles]

Our weekday afternoon jazz DJ, Joe Bourne, is getting ready right now to play some Maynard Ferguson music--from 3:30 to 4 EST and 4:30-4:55 EST (he has a prescheduled guest from 4 to 4:30). You can listen here.

[jazzbo]

Sad news.