The Fifties Ferguson

Maynard Ferguson went through several musical transitions during his more than 40 years on the jazz scene but one of my favorite periods was during the 1950s when he was first introduced to the general public.  Newly arrived from Canada, while he was only 22 years old and playing with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, Maynard’s introductory appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show established him as one of the premier trumpet players of the era.  He was fearless during those years.  The video below is from that appearance.  A year later, in 1951, he recorded What’s New … not only one of my favorite tunes but one that truly demonstrates his ability to play notes which, theoretically, can’t be played on a trumpet.