Maynard Ferguson

Biography

Wire of a violonist of the “Symphony orchestra of Ottawa”, Maynard Ferguson begins the piano at the 4 years age. He learns then the violin, the clarinet, then the trumpet with the “French Academy of Montreal”. It is on this instrument that it starts professionally. As of the 16 years age, it directs its clean Big band which occurs in Canada. In 1948, he is engaged by Boyd Raeburn. He then plays at Jimmy Dorsey then Charlie Barnet.

From 1950 to 1953, it belongs to the big band of Stan Kenton of which it is one of the principal soloists. The leader indeed exploits to the maximum the prowesses in the overshrill one of Ferguson. In section, Ferguson is used like “screamer” (Buddy Childers being at the time “lead Trumpet” of the orchestra). But it is especially as a soloist that Ferguson can make watch of its incredible technical capabilities. Arrangements and compositions are written besides especially to put it in the high-speed motorboat: “ Maynard Ferguson ”, “ Hot Canary ”, “ What' S new ”, “ Invention for guitar and Trumpet ”,… Three years of continuation, Maynard ferguson is elected “Better trumpet player of the year” by the readers of the review “Down Beat”.

When it leaves the orchestra of Kenton, Ferguson is engaged like “staff musician” by the Paramount. It takes part in the recording of 46 film musics (“ the Ten Commands ”, “ Equipped wild the ”,…). It is, in addition, the soloist during creation “ Titans ” (alias “ Symphonie N°2 in C ”) of Bill Russo by the “New York Philharmonic Orchestra” under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. Maynard Ferguson, being estimated under-employed, breaks its contract with Paramount. He then becomes musician “free lance”. In 1956, it directs a time an “occasional” big band “Birdland Dream band” (where one can hear Al Cohn, Herb Geller, Budd Johnson, Ernie Wilkins, Jimmy Cleveland, Hank Jones,…). It forms then a regular Orchestre with which it “will turn” and record until 1967. One can hear there, according to the years, of the musicians like Don Ellis, Bill Chase, Dusko Goykovich, Chuck Mangione, Slide Hampton, Mike Zwerin, Lenny Morgan, Willie Maiden, Wayne Shorter, Jaki Byard, Joe Zawinul,… the orchestra records, primarily for the label “Caster”, of excellent albums (“ has Message from Newport ”, “ Newport Suite ”, “ Message from Birdland ”, “ Straigh ahead ”, “ Maynard' 62 ”, “ Plays Jazz For Dance hall ”,…).

In 1968, Maynard Ferguson stops a time the music to settle in India where it follows the teaching of Jiddu Krishnamurti, but also of the doubtful guru Sathya Sai Baba. He attends also rather assiduously Thimoty Leary and tries out LSD.

In 1969, it settles in England where it forms new a big band whose repertory is very directed “pop” and “rock'n'roll”. It records for the label “Columbia”. Success is quickly with go and the tubes are connected: resumptions of “ MacArthur Park ”, “ Hey Jude ”, “ Bridge over disorder toilets ”… Maynard Ferguson regains the United States where it continues in the same register. The albums which it records in years 70-80, are very “commercial”. They are especially composed of resumptions of tubes “pops” or film musics, of versions “big band” of pieces of Jazz rock'n'roll and especially written compositions so that the leader can spread out his virtuosity there. In 1977, its version of “ Gonna fly now ”, topic titrates film “Rocky”, is classified with “Signal 10” of the 45t. “ Conquistador ”, the album 33t, with the very contestable esthetics however, which contains this title becomes “gold disc” and receives a “Grammy award” in 1978 (better instrumental album). It should be recognized that discs in big band of this period (“ Primal Scream ”, “ New Vintage ”, “ Chameleon ”,…) are often of a debatable taste (the repertory which can go from the remixée song “Over the Rainbow” to a recovery “Disco” of the topic of “Star wars” while passing by the massacre of the “great outdoors” of “Paillasse”), even if they contain sometimes some good surprise (“ Birdland ”, “ Cheshire Cat Walk ”, “ Everybody coil the blues ”…). In 1982, Maynard leaves label CBS - Columbia and returns to a style of more conventional jazz. Then, about the middle of the Eighties, it directs a small formation of Jazz fusion called “High Voltage” which plays a music less openly commercial.

With the beginning of the year 1990, Maynard Ferguson joins again with the style of the traditional big band by forming a new group called “Big Bop Nouveau”. This unit is primarily composed of young musicians and occurs especially on the “circuit” of the universities and “high schools”. In spite of its advanced age, Maynard Ferguson was until its death still very active.

Especially known trumpet player for his remarkable control of the overshrill register (often with the top of Bi-against-C), Maynard Ferguson is been sulky by the French critics who see in him only one “phenomenon of fair” or an opportunist “showman”. He is, on the other hand, a true “institution” in the United States (cf American forums devoted to the trumpet). One can reproach him leaning for the free technical higher bid and of the sometimes debatable esthetic choices, but it should be admitted that he is an jazzman swinguant with the play particularly stimulant and an imaginative improviser.

The August 23rd 2006, it dies in a hospital of Ventura, in California, with the the United States victim of a hepatic and renal insufficiency having risen from an abdominal infection.

Instruments

Several factors of instruments produced models " signés" by Maynard Ferguson.

The mark “Holton” marketed the line of trumpets “MF Horns” and “Admiral Horns”. On a concept of Ferguson, it produced two rather curious instruments: “super Bone” (a trombone at the same time with slide and pistons) and the “Firebird” (a bent trumpet provided at the same time with three pistons and a slide).

http://www.trumpetstuff.com/images/firebird/index.htm
http://www.gleblanc.com/instruments/query.cfm?model=TR395
http://www.gleblanc.com/ad/maynard.htm

More recently, Maynard Ferguson “signed” a model of trumpet, “MF Prana”, for the Monette mark.

http://www.monette.net/newsite/ferguson/maynard_news.htm

Lastly, the firm Jet Ton sells mouths “Maynard Ferguson”.

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