Results for "Maynard Ferguson"

Maynard Ferguson

Born: May 4, 1928

Walter "Maynard" Ferguson was a Canadian-born jazz trumpet player and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957. He was noted for being able to play accurately in a remarkably high register, and for his bands, which served as stepping stones for up-and-coming talent.

Early life and education
Ferguson was born in Verdun, Quebec (now part of Montreal). Encouraged by his mother and father (both musicians), Maynard was playing piano and violin by the age of four. At nine years old, he heard a cornet for the first time in his local church and asked his parents to purchase him one. At age 13, Ferguson first soloed as a child prodigy with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra and was heard frequently on the CBC, notably featured on a Serenade for Trumpet in Jazz written for him by Morris Davis. Ferguson won a scholarship to the French Conservatory of Music where he studied from 1943 through 1948 with Bernard Baker.

Lou Marini: A Solo Career Starting At The Age Of 80

by Mark McKergow
August 29, 2026

Saxophonist “Blue" Lou Marini came to the fore in the 1970s as a member of the Saturday Night Live Band and with The Blues Brothers on film, albums and stage. After a lifetime as an in-demand sideman (notably 26 years and counting with James Taylor), Lou has finally started to release albums under his own name, including Playtime (Hip ...

Elias Haslanger: Music for 2026, Not 1956

by Hank Hehmsoth
August 27, 2026

Tenor saxophonist and composer Elias Haslanger  has spent much of his career carrying several generations of jazz history at once. An Austin native and longtime presence on the Central Texas jazz scene, he has absorbed lessons from mentors including Ellis Marsalis, Dr. James Polk and Maynard Ferguson while developing his own identity as a bandleader and composer. Legacy (Bandstand Presents, ...

Michael Mordecai: The Man Who Keeps Austin Jazz Moving

by Hank Hehmsoth
June 15, 2026

Michael Mordecai has spent decades inside the machinery of Austin jazz: on the bandstand, behind the phone, at the booking desk, in the contractor's chair and in the community rooms where musicians, venues and advocates try to keep the music visible. His work has never fit neatly into a single category. Mordecai is a trombonist, bandleader, ...

The Birdland Big Band: Storybook—The Music Of Mark Miller

by Samuel Chell
June 3, 2026

Storybook: The Music Of Mark Miller is at one level the unfolding narrative of its 10 musical selections. At another, it is a tale about its primary author, Mark Miller, who prefaced his journey from Racine to New York City with a preliminary solo album, Mark Miller: The Return Of Slide Huxtable, before retaking the long ...

Jazz Classics from Jackie McLean, Horace Silver and Others; Currents from Jacques Lesure, Billy Childs, and More

by David W. Daniels
May 12, 2026

Artists as described in title. Plus classics from Art Blakey, Gerald Wilson, Art Pepper, and more. Additional new music from Roy Hargrove, Brian Lynch, and a re-release from Dianne Reeves. Finally, birthday recognition for Ron Carter, Mary Lou Williams, Dennis Chambers, and others.Playlist Don Friedman “You Stepped Out Of A Dream" from Dreams And ...

Chuck Mangione: Friend For Lovers

by Chris M. Slawecki
July 26, 2025

This article first appeared on All About Jazz in September 2000. Chuck Mangione is best known as the trumpet player and composer of that ubiquitous tune, which taught millions worldwide that music “Feels So Good." But Chuck Mangione boasts serious Jazz chops: Before flying solo, he cut his teeth in the Woody ...

Don Ellis: How Time Passes to Essence Revisited

by Angelo Leonardi
March 24, 2025

Nelle storie del jazz Don Ellis è ricordato principalmente per l'innovativa big band che guidò per un decennio, dalla metà degli anni sessanta. Questa preziosa riedizione ci rammenta i suoi inizi di carriera, quando esplorava nuove soluzioni a partire dalla tromba: accoppia il suo debutto in quartetto (...How Time Passes...) dell'ottobre 1960 con alcuni brani di ...

Peter Erskine: Revisiting Weather Report

by C. Andrew Hovan
March 20, 2025

A standout drum prodigy of his generation, Peter Erskine began playing at the age of four. After honing his skills at Interlochen, he launched his professional career in 1972 with Stan Kenton. Four years later, he joined Maynard Ferguson before making a pivotal move, replacing Alex Acuña in Weather Report. In the spring ...

Paul Dietrich's Elemental Quartet: A Small Patch of Earth

by Richard J Salvucci
February 25, 2025

Anyone who spends much time watching contemporary instrumentalists on the internet is bound to come away impressed. Modern players, it sometimes seems, can do just about anything. And that is particularly true of some instruments in the brass family, where the advances in technique and range over just a half-century are particularly impressive. There are many ...