Maynard Ferguson is one of the best renowned jazz artist, trumpet player, director, and composer of jazz pieces that the twentieth century has seen. He was a truly gifted musician starting from a young age. In his long standing career, Ferguson was able to accomplish so many great things. Walter Maynard Ferguson was born in Verdun, Canada on May 4th, 1928(All About Jazz). Since Fergusons parents were musicians, it was fitting that they had a humongous influence early in his life. Even though he was arguable one of the greatest trumpet players of all time, Ferguson was introduced to violin and piano by the age of four (All About Jazz). Fergusons first encounter with the lovely tone of the cornet/trumpet came during church when he was nine (All About Jazz). A few years later, at the age of thirteen, the young prodigy not only played with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra, but he soloed for them(All About Jazz). After being featured on the radio for his rendition of Serenade for Trumpet in Jazz, Ferguson was awarded a scholarship to the French…show more content… During his short time here, Ferguson recorded forty six tracks such as “The Ten Commandments” (All About Jazz). He soon found he was unhappy with the lack of live performances, so he left Paramount in 1956 (All About Jazz).
Ferguson decided to start his own journey, so he formed his own band in 1957 (Gridley 257). Although his band had the same loud, bold, and flashy characteristics as Kentons band, Maynard’s band swung (Sinatra 470). “The band has a precise, hard-driving style that carried a lot of tension with it” (Gridley 257). His band excluded a few instruments from the sax and trombone section to give off a more precise and crisp sound that cut through the air (Gridley 257). Maynard was able to keep his band alive until 1965 when they were forced to disband (Gridley