Upper-register trumpet players have come and gone over the years, but Maynard was one of the very few whose high notes actually sounded like musical tones, rather than the screeching of the steam whistle at the local lumber mill. The bands he put together were intense concentrations of talent--people quite capable of writing and arranging, as well as top-notch playing virtuosity. His passing truly marks the end of the big-band era as we knew it. I hope he would be honored to know that I have carefully stored my collections of his LPs along with those of Stan Kenton in one end of my record cabinet, and these would be the first things I would save if my house ever caught fire. I will miss him.
RIP Maynard.
Today a great musician, Maynard Ferguson, died at the age of 78 from liver and kidney failure. Maynard was a great trumpeter, known for his screaming in the upper registers. Being an amateur trumpeter, I was always in awe of his tremendous versatility. Thanks, Maynard, for leaving us with some good music.