"Maynard!" -- New Book About Maynard Ferguson Now Available

MAYNARD! becomes the first new book on bandleader and jazz trumpet phenomenon Maynard Ferguson in nearly a dozen years. It's 240 pages of raw MF as remembered in interviews by 30 musicians and others from his earliest U.S. gigs in the late 40s to the peak of his career on Columbia Records in the 70s. Grammy winning producer Ralph Jungheim rolled tape on this hand-picked group of Ferguson intimates, revealing the innermost workings of Maynard--the man, the musician, and the leader. Charlie Barnet and producer Jim Conkling tell the behind-the-scenes story of Maynard's long-suppressed recording of “All the Things You Are."

Bud Shank remembers the scuffling days, sharing a duplex with Maynard and his first wife Kay Brown. Don Ellis was with Maynard during good times and bad. Including the night Maynard met a vigorously booing Berlin audience. Alto saxophonist Lanny Morgan recalls the tough life on the road when he was one of those paid an extra two cents a mile for driving, in the pre-bus days when the band traveled in station wagons. Don Menza played Birdland in Maynard's band--opposite Sonny Rollins and Stan Getz, and many other jazz greats. Lew Tabackin remembers the night Dick Spencer was late getting back from a break. So Maynard grabbed an alto and played Dick's part. Then Dick surprised by playing Maynard's trumpet solo beautifully from the back of the house!

Bernie “The Bolt" Myers was at the wheel of the big Butler Motor Transit Silver Eagle driving over 800 miles in one day. While claiming he never drove “over 35 miles an hour." Others interviewed in MAYNARD! Include Peter Erskine, Biff Hannon, Mundell Lowe, Stan Mark, Mike Migliore, Bobby Militello, Joe Mosello, Lynn Nicholson Dennis Noday, Reed Rankin, Bob Summers and Ron Tooley, the late Milt Bernhard, Bill Berry, Dominick Calicchio, Jimmy Campbell, Joe Graves, Rufus Speedy Jones, Irene Kral, Shelly Manne and Tony Romano.

MAYNARD! is published by Buster Ann Music, 13428 Maxella Ave. #733, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 and available for $19.95 each, postpaid.
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