Maynard Ferguson: Great Trumpet or Punchline to a Joke?

[tsunamisurfer]

If memory serves, there was a time when Maynard Ferguson was a respected big band musician and in-demand soloist.

Over the last 10 years or so, I've heardpeople talking about him as though he's a punchline to a really bad joke--something to the effect that the only place where you can catch him anymore (if he's still alive, that is) are at school marching band concerts, etc.

How skilled was this trumpeter in the "old days?" Was he primarily a specialist in high-note playing, or a rounded musician?
Also, were his high notes legitimately achieved, or did he use a special mouthpiece?

[Soul Brother Number Two]

Using a special mouthpiece isn't considered cheating. The shallower it is, the easier it ican be to play higher. I've got a Japanese one that's very shallow. Many trumpeters use a deep mouthpiece, however, an Yamaha 1C or something.

As to Maynard, he was irrelevant by the 70's, I saw him in a high school auditorium even then. He did some ridiculous stuff like "theme from Rocky' and Theme from Star Wars). REally bad.

In the 50's he made his bones with Stan Kenton and others (he plays on that great Dinah Washington album with Clark Terry and someone else), but I don't think he ever been any great shakes.

He's got a great big sound, the better to cut through a big bancd with, I guess, and in the 70s Holton made an 'MF' model with a bigger bore, took a lot more air to get a good sound outta them.

Every high school trumpeter adored him back them cuz he played so high and so loud. Kinda like how John McLaughlin and Al DiMeola were popular cuz they played so fast.