Doc and Maynard

[MF Fan]

Picking up on recent post in the High Range forum, does anyone know the back-story behind Doc and Maynard meeting? We've all seen the photo of the two of them together, which Doc penciled in at the bottom, "I wish he was my student!" Looks to be taken in the early to mid-70's. I'm curious what brought them together? I know several of Doc's students passed through the MF trumpet section during that era, e.g. Lin Biviano and Lynn Nicholson. Did one of them ask Maynard to tag along on a visit to Doc's studio while on tour? I also recall reading a story Doc told about a famous professional player (whom he doesn't name) that came by his studio to demonstrate his playing, not to take away anything in the way of advice, just to show what he could do, and that Doc was very impressed. Reading between the lines I always that that might be Maynard. There's also the story about Maynard leaving a blank check for Doc in return for teaching his son Bentley. Not sure the lessons ever took place, but that's quite an endorsement.

Anyways, not that any of this is important, but the other thread prompted the memory, and made me wonder if those of you that knew Doc might have insight into some of this folklore. Also, did Doc ever comment about the mechanics of Maynard's playing? I believe Doc typed him as a III-B, but so much of his chop set-up was unconventional, it must have blown Doc's mind watching him play, be it in his studio if that ever happened, or like the rest of us in concert.
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Lead Trumpet - My Basement Jazz Orchestra

[BeboppinFool]

The story of that picture you referred to is this:

In late 1981 I had moved to Philly to study with Doc. I got interested in his ABS mouthpieces and with help from another guy who shall remain nameless, I did a bunch of research and put together a brochure for the mouthpieces and we made gift boxes to give a few of them to some trumpeters I considered famous and influential. Those included Doc Severinsen, Wynton Marsalis, Greg Wing (lead on Buddy's band) and Maynard. Wynton (who I had heard with Art Blakey in mid-81), Greg and Maynard all played at the Atlantic City Jazz Festival that year and all received gift boxed sets of Reinhardt mouthpieces, and Doc played at one of the Casinos and that's when he was presented with his.

Anyway, it turned out that Maynard loved the ABS trombone mouthpiece, and he and Stan Mark stopped in to see Doc to tell Doc how much he loved it. He as much as told Doc that he could use Maynard's name all he wanted in promoting his Reinhardt ABS Mouthpieces, but Doc was over it (those had been made a couple decades before that).

That picture was taken by Stan Mark with Doc's Polaroid (I'm 99% sure of this) and Maynard wanted Doc to use that to promote his mouthpieces. Well, Doc told me about that but the picture was tacked up on Doc's wall in his studio and I had no intention of asking Doc for it so it never got used to promote his mouthpieces.

I believe that Dave Sheetz went and helped Ginny move all of Doc's stuff out of his studio when he could no longer teach there (he did do some teaching out of his home shortly before he died). That Polaroid ought to be in the Streitweiser Museum, in my opinion.

Anyway, that's what little I know on this topic. I'm sure Dave or Chris have more recollections to add, and I sure hope they do.
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Puttin’ On The Ritz

[razeontherock]

Heh. 1981 is when I relocated myself to Indiana to study trumpet. Wishing I had gone to Philly instead. Or just stayed put at home and studied under Doc's student at Rutgers. Hindsight is 20/20 ...