This morning a Facebook friend posted a video performance of Maynard Ferguson's song Gospel John. The jazz group I play with has this in the book and it's always been a fun tune to play. Hearing Ferguson's version helped to brighten up the, once again, rainy morning here at work.
Walter "Maynard" Ferguson died in 2006, at age 78. He was a trumpeter known for his screaming (this is musician-speak for really, really, really high notes) ability. At age 13, he was a featured soloist with the Canadian Broadcasting Company Orchestra. In the 1940s, he played with Ellington, Basie, Stan Kenton, Charlie Barnett, and Dizzy Gillespie, and then started his own band in 1945.
Maynard received a Grammy for his version of Gonna Fly Now (the theme from Rocky soundtrack).
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