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Jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson dies at 78


Hound Dog

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Sorry to date myself, but I went w/ friends and drove from Gunnison, CO to Grand Junction, CO to see MF at Mesa College in '74. None of my friends went because they'd ever heard of him, they only went because there was a McDonald's in Grand Junction (they were all from Chicago and Detroit, etc). In any event, after McDonalds we went to the event center and there was NOBODY there, maybe 100 people. We sat on the front row, about 15' from the band. Mind you, my friends were all into Uriah Heep and other "heavy metal" bands of the time. But this is when MF was still sporting a full 17-piece band and when they let loose they had more power than any rock band could imagine. It was f'ing amazing. And when we left my friends were flabbergasted. One said "I can't believe that drummer. He actually played a REAL solo on the drums, not just BUMEDY-BUMEDY-BUMEDY for ten minutes. It was like he was playing a REAL instrument". From that point forward Uriah Heep went off their turn table (like I said, it was a long time ago) and MF Horn went on. Its amazing how much people, when they hear great music, respond to it. I saw MF about five years ago and it was sad. Despite his campaigning on, the band was down to nine members (for cost reasons) and the vibe just wasn't there. In fairness MF (most big bands)was, in a sense, jazz's heavy metal couterpart and he catches some grief from purists for it, but DAMN, they could pin your ass to the wall like no rock band I've ever heard. He was also a very spiritual man and tireless music educator. The world has lost a great soul.
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In 1977, just before my oldest son was born, his mother and I went to see MF in concert. Mom finally had to leave because, every time MF hit one of those high-high notes, my son, in the womb, would jump and simultaneously punch her in the diaphragm and kick her in the cervix! :D

 

RIP.

 

 

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