Reflections on Maynard upon hearing of his passing

[NickD]

I have not posted here for a while. I wanted to get back into the swing of things as school started. I hate to make my return post on this matter, but I hope can end it on a postive outlook. This is a duplication of my MySpace blog.

Please be patient with this slightly maudlin post, but if you've read the article I wrote for Adrian, you'll understand my feelings. On the outside chance you don't know, Maynard passed away on August 23. My cousin, Steve Wiest, and I have exchanged some phone calls. In all honesty, I can't help feeling just a trifle emotional about this. So, please forgive the sentimentality of this post.

The Impact of Maynard Ferguson on My Professional Life as a Trumpeter:

It is 2:50 on August 24, 2006. I just taught 90 minutes of classes putting on a happy face even though I was struggling with a sense of sadness at just hearing of the passing of trumpet legend, Maynard Ferguson. I got through it, and will be fine, of course. More on that, later.

Now, folks who know me well may ask, “Why are you so bothered by this? You only really did three complete tours with him! You didn’t even finish a full year!” Well, these queries deserve answers.

First, I left when I did, by and large due to the fact that I was a newlywed when I went on the road with Maynard. My new wife was very supportive of the move onto the road. She knew how important to a young trumpeter it was to go on the road with Maynard Ferguson. However, I felt I had to come home when I did. This was made easier due to some personal challenges (which had NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with Maynard!) I was facing on the road.

Next, those three tours I did with Maynard Ferguson were some of the most cherished moments of my career. My life would not have been the same without them. I learned a great deal about trumpet playing, musicianship, jazz and humanity that I would have missed had I not had that experience. I learned as much about me as I did one of the greatest jazz trumpet legends who ever lived.

Maynard has had a huge impact of the lives of virtually every trumpeter, in some way. Certainly, the legacy of high notes is there. However, Ferguson brought a sense of musicianship and artistry to that aspect of trumpet playing that has only been approached by others. I recently posted a comment in a forum about Maynard’s version of Gershwin’s “Summertime” on a recording with Max Roach, Dinah Washington and Clifford Brown. In listening to that piece, one can only stand in sheer awe at the power and majesty of his work. I was more than just an athletic event. It was beautiful music in the hands of a master trumpeter.

For me, The Fox will live on forever in his recordings, of course, but also in the memories of the conversations I had with him during my brief tenure on his band – his words of encouragement and advice through some rough patches I had along with his stories about his experiences with other jazz greats. His jovial and kind nature will never be diminished in my mind. Those moments in hanging out with him on the band bus, on the airplane to Japan, on bullet train platforms, the rehearsals in Orlando Florida, his joking around with us, will always be with me. I’ll never forget the time he met my wife and then treated her to my getting to trade solos with him on Latino Lovewalk at Rolling Meadows High School. He was an incredible gentleman to her and extremely greacious to me in that consideration. When Alan Wise dubbed me “Studio Man,” Ferguson was like another little kid with that, too! I could go on, but I’ll spare you. I may have only done three tours, but oh what a three tours those were!

In short, I am a very privileged man. I got to be on the road with one of the greatest jazz legends of our time. Certainly, he’ll be missed, but rather than mourn his passing, I am going to celebrate his life and all the beauty and joy he brought us.

Much gratitude is due to Maynard Ferguson, for my part.

Nick Drozdoff
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[TrentAustin]

Amen to that...

RIP to my first idol on the trumpet who I got to play 5th trumpet with on Rocky in 1987 when I was 12. From that moment on I knew I wanted to be a trumpeter.

I'm sure thousands feel just the same way I do.

Everyone pick up your horn and play with the same love that Maynard did in tribute.

-T
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[skootchy]

A legend died today.. I first heard Maynard when I was 12 and my sister bought me Maynard 62 for my birthday. Well, needless to say the track "Maria" is almost worn out. I couldn't believe what I just heard. I listened to the rest of the album eventually and went and bought everything I could find. I have most of his albums and they are all well worn. Maynard was without a doubt one of the biggest trumpet icon's of this century. For me it was Maynard, Doc and Rafael, but mostly Maynard. Maynard thrilled me... awed me and I shared in the passion of every other trumpet player that ever heard him, (even the ones who won't admit it ) I took a bus, train, hitchiked or bummed a ride to wherever he played in this state. (Luckily I am in a relatively small state.) Throughout the years I have seen him play about 30 times and spoke with him about a dozen. I am sure I speak for everyone when I say it was great growing up listening to Maynard. What a life he had. Not only to be able to play that way but to do it all those years, to know that everyone thought you are all that and a bag of chips. The man never got a big head about that either, always had time for his fans. Well Maynard, heres to you man....and thanks! (Somebody please make a T-shirt.)

[Bruce Lee]

Maynard's "voice" is one that served as a great inspiration to trumpet players throughout the world. Whenever Maynard was in town, going to see him was a given. What an incredible performer he was!

What has also been mentioned about Maynard is his wonderful smile, and his great sense of humor. While today has been a sad day for the trumpet world, I'd like to share a memory that I have from a clinic that Maynard did quite a few years ago. I should preface my story by giving Maynard the highest praise for all of his years of contributing to music education, by performing so many of his concerts in school auditoriums, and for giving so much encouragement to trumpet players, of all ages, for so long.

The event that I attended was held in a high school auditorium. There was a clinic in the afternoon, where we had the opportunity to hear the band rehearse prior to the evening performance. After the rehearsal, Maynard took questions from the audience. Part way through this Q&A session, a kid raised his hand, and Maynard addressed him.

The kid in the audience said, "Maynard, I think that I'm better than you."

Maynard's reply... "Kid... just the fact that you said the work "think" ... tells me that you don't have your sh*t together!"

"The Boss" received some well-deserved applause, as well as some well-deserved laughter, for "educating" that young man.

Needless to say, that evening's performance was just as stellar as all of the many other Maynard Ferguson performances that I had the privilege of attending throughout the years. Here's to the life of a great man!

R.I.P. Maynard

Bruce
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[MilesD]

Beautiful and moving post Nick, and welcome back to TH

I heard a lot of your work on the web and love your playing but I had no idea that you played with Maynard and knew him personally. I can feel how absolutely incredible it must have been (by your post) to know and play with him. The world has become a colder place without him but heaven just gained one of the best trumpet players (along with Miles and Dizzy) who ever lived. Let us mourn his passing but also celebrate his life and career of a the Boss
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[trickg]

Nick that was a fine post.

I don't wonder at your sense of sadness at all. Strangely, even though I never even got to speak with Maynard (the most I ever really "met" him was when he was working the crowd, shaking hands with people while the Maynard medly was being played by the band) I have been upset by this sad, sad news ever since I heard today. There were points today during work where I was almost in tears.

This has really puzzled me because I didn't know him personally. However, to me, ever since I heard my first recording of him (MacArthur Park on MF Horn - what a first recording!) he has been a giant and legend - more than just a man to me. Maynard was bigger than life and could do seemingly inhuman things with the trumpet. To me, we didn't lose a man, we lost a trumpet playing Colossus. Herculese with a horn. Someone earlier today said that today God said "Gabriel, move over to the second book, Maynard is on Lead."

My life is what it is because of Maynard. After hearing that recording of Maynard on MacArthur Park park, I grabbed up a bunch of different Maynard albums which inspired me as a player way back then, and continue to inspire me today:
Conquistador
MF Horn/MF Horn II
Chameleon
Carnival
New Vintage
Stratospheric
etc.

Without that inspiration, I doubt if I would have pursued music the way I did which eventually led to the life I have now.

I was once told that I would tire of Maynard and my tastes would move toward other "real" jazz trumpeters. I have never tired of listening to Maynard. I can put in "Give It One" and get just as jazzed now as the first time I ever heard it and listen in awe and wonder when he snazzes the feel with those amazing shakes that were perfectly placed, and when peels paint with that blistering G right before the solo break. Others can play as high or higher, but no one has ever come close to doing it with that kind of power and flair in my opinion, and I'm not sure than anyone ever will.

Maybe that's why this news has saddened me the way it has.
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[MilesD]

[Asian Man]

They should make a Maynard museum or put his horns in one. Hopefully nobody will auction off his horns..
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[Paul Tomashefsky]

Dear Nick,
Wow! what a way to end the Summer man. . . I have been in "painting seclussion" painting my son Jonathan's Bedroom over the last two days. He's got a chair rail that goes around the room, and boy does it stink trying to tape everything up etc. . . So I haven't seen ANY news probably for the last 48 hours!!!! Man, You knew it was coming, but the guy was an Icon of Trumpet Playing!
Well, school starts on Monday for me the kids go back Wednesday. . . I'll miss the easy care free Summer days. . . It's great bein' a Public Teacher, even if the pay sucks and you have to play weddings, private teach, and play lousy R & B club dates where no one gives a Hoot how well you can play your trumpet. But I digress, cause I should be counting my Blessings! I'm a healthy 46 year old musician living in a Country where I can Play ANY Style of Music That I so Choose. Maynard, made it look SO easy. He always made the audience feel how much FUN it was to be up there Playin' his heart out! As one writer put it so eliquently, The Sound of Maynard's Horn was the Sound of Triumph! So True, So True. . . The first time I saw him, my Mom took me to Roosevelt field shopping Mall on Long Island, N.Y. He had just recorded the Primal Scream or Conquistador album, and they did this thing where ALL the Trumpeters (Stan Mark Ron Tooley Dennis Noday etc. . .) come out and wail on this tune called "Conquistador" They walk out onto the stage from the back of the audience!!! BAM! there all playin' the heck out of this spanish vamp thing and then Maynard steps out on stage and Blows The Livin' Stuffing outta his Trumpet!!!!!!!!!! God, he was so Incredibly Good!! and to a young impressionable beginning trumpeter, he made a statement. . .

Rest in Peace MF. . .

Take care Nick. . .and stay cool! Thanks for the memories



Paul Tomashefsky
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[bilboinsa]

I was away from TH in Minnesota when the news of Maynard's passing hit me. I actually got a phone call from a friend--that is how much we thought of him.

MF kindled a fire in any HS trumpet player that listened to "Live at Jimmy's", "Chameleon", "Conquistador", or insert your fav here. Who knows how fewer players there would be but for his influence and those fires.

I was lucky enough to see MF 5 or 6 times, the last time just a couple of months ago in Austin. Every time, it was so much fun to feel so inferior, yet share an interest with a giant.

Move over Gabriel....
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[NickD]

OK, PLEASE do not judge this track harshly! If you read the description you'll see that this is from a seriously damaged tape. This will only be up for 1 week max!

I have had several different folks who have read my articles at the UK Brass forum to let them hear the demo that got me the gig with Maynard's band in 1980 (1981). I did a disco version of Beseme Mucho. The clean track sounds better, but I don't have the facilities to play the 24 track master. I also have no idea of what condition it is in with respect to oxide shedding. The cassette I found was in pretty bad shape, obviously.

I only post this in the spirit of reminiscence. In short, it really takes me back. Enjoy it while it’s up.

http://www.mp3unsigned.com/showmp3.asp?mp3ID=37730

Peace
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[terrys17]

Beautiful Nick -I especially like those "pops" -its easy to see why you got the gig.

[NickD]

Thanks, TerryS! You are too kind. Alas, I wish the gig could have lasted longer, but Life has a way of going its own way wnd we sometimes have to let go and drift in the direction in which we are being pulled by things bigger and more benevolent and knowledgable than all of us, if you know what I mean.

Peace, man!

Nick
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[Skip]

Life is what happens while we try to plan what we want it to be.

Thanks Nick.

[Trumpetplaying]

NickD,

Thanks so much for your comments on your Maynard tour and posting the link to your track. I listened to it several times. Very excellent work.

I've been thinking a lot about Maynard and his influence on trumpet players and some of the back blow that he had with the 'legit' trumpet teaching crowd. It seems that there has been, and still are, many great legit teachers that were so put off my Maynard they incorrectly assume that his influence and presence created trumpet players that only wanted to play high notes.

Unfortunately this is part of Maynard's legacy that is tough to bring up. Because Maynard was so great and he made it sound so easy, it caused the rest of us 'hacks' to often embarass ourselves with our feable attempts to play like him.

What I like so much about hearing your track is how great you stand out as a trumpet player, on your own. Yes you have great range. But it's part of the whole package. As I transitioned myself from being a high school, high note trumpet hack, I too worked hard to not just play high notes, but have a great sound, technique and become a well rounded trumpet player. I hear that in your track. The influence of Maynard is there in your playing, and you played with the man. But it's a lie and a damn shame that so many 'legit' trumpet teachers believe Maynard himself was just about high notes. Instead it was about sound. I believe most of us who really appreciated him didn't fall in love with just the high notes. It was the sound.

Basically what I'm saying is I'd rather hear Maynard play 'Stony's End', limited to just his high E runs than 99.999% of trumpet players that can play Double C's. It's not about how high you play, it's how you play it. That does sink in with trumpet players and it's really sad that there still are some great trumpet teachers out there that shun the style.

Thanks again! Your trumpet playing is excellent on that track and I very much thank your for sharing it with us. No need to take it down after a week!

[Don Herman rev2]

Wow, great clip, Nick! Definitely "the sound" and technique to burn. No question about why you were added to the band... - Don
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