Rich Wetzel

I remember enjoying trumpet as a kid, it was fun enough, and then I heard Maynard Ferguson and it was the greatest thing on earth!

I had never heard anything like that in my life, the excitement, the power, the huge tone, the incredible emotion and unparalleled virtuosity, absolutely amazing.

That was the moment that changed everything and I am sure similar experiences for all of us when we first heard Maynard.

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Rich Wetzel
Bach Trumpet Artist and Clinician
"Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra"
www.richwetzel.com and www.myspace.com/groovinhigher

Bach219

We will all miss him dearly......RIP Maynard Ferguson!

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Raw brass Bach TR300
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I didn't want to get that ring around my lips from practicing the trumpet, because I thought the girls wouldn't like me. So I never practiced.- Wynton Marsalis

Rich Wetzel

I can rmember the first time I heard Maynard Ferguson as if it were yesterday.

This was one of Maynard's greatest trumpet sections, Stan Mark, Dennis Noday, Ron Tooley and Joe Mosello.

Maynard was always a huge star, but the 70's in particular he was like a rock star, every venue seemed to small, huge, huge crowds, and one of the greatest bands ever put together. His whole career was amazing, that time period just seemed magical.

When he did Rocky it was even being played on all the pop stations, he was on TV constantly, it was amazing!

__________________
Rich Wetzel
Bach Trumpet Artist and Clinician
"Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra"
www.richwetzel.com and www.myspace.com/groovinhigher

Rich Wetzel

I remember a bunch of Seattle area trumpet players hanging out in Maynard's dressing room telling MF how he inspired us all and is the reason we are all still playing, one of our buddies looks at MF and says yeah, it's your fault, and Maynard just about fell out his chair with that great laugh of his, it was awesome!

__________________
Rich Wetzel
Bach Trumpet Artist and Clinician
"Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra"
www.richwetzel.com and www.myspace.com/groovinhigher

Fluffy615

Thanks for posting this clip Rich. I love seeing Joe Mosello with the black hair! It's getting gray these days! But yeah, that was a great section. That's about the time I found out about Maynard. I've been a huge fan ever since. He is missed. I hope he's jammin' with all the greats that have gone before and after him.
Bob

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Live Long and Prosper

The black is the notes, the white is the page.....play the black!!

chet fan

I have arturo sandoval's mp3 "I remember Maynard" and it is fantastic piece of playing, incredible

Al Innella

Maynard was in a class by himself , many have tried ,but none have been able to get his sound and control on trumpet from top to bottom ,back in the '60's I had many of his albums before seeing him live in '72, blew my mind!

bigtiny

The first time I heard him was when my 9th grade band director played MF Horn II before class one day (Give It One) and I almost 'soiled me armor'....I didn't even know it was a trumpet! I didn't know anybody could DO that on a trumpet! HA HA.....

I then got to see Maynard yearly during the mid 70s. I saw this trumpet section at least twice and they were killer. Maynard ALWAYS had killer bands. I never saw a performance by him and the band that didn't just KILL.....He had great players in other sections too -- the reed section of Andy Macintosh, Ferdinand Povel, and Bruce Johnson....Peter Erskine....Biff Hannon...Alan Zavod....I could go on.

I miss the old man.

bigtiny