The great Maynard Ferguson died last night.
I remember playing a gig with him one time in SoCal many years ao. He
and his group of hotshots from UT came to play with the Agoura Hills
Concert Band. One of the charts they wanted to play had a horn tessitura
hanging on c''' forever with an 8vb ossia. I asked if they wanted the
high octave. The lead trumpet player from his group asked, "You can do
that?" My stand mate and I, a 15 year old kid playing a single F,
proceeded to blow the snot out of the part causing the trumpets to move
their stands back another couple of feet. MF and his guys were blown
away and very complimentary to us both. "They're only notes", I replied.
MF laughed, then asked for another 8va. I told him to get a job. His
boys laughed so hard they fell off their chairs!
We played his trademark "Hey Jude" with our band wandering around out in
the audience, vamping 'till the cows came home, MF screaming god knows
what into the stratosphere.
What a great man, great musician, great teacher. The world is smaller
for his passing.
Bo
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/24/AR2006082400923.html
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