Canadian jazztrompettist Walter "Maynard" Ferguson has past away. I have no article in English about it yet, so if anyone has, please post it here.

I know some here liked him very much...

RIP

Being a trumpet player since I was 10 years old, Maynard has been a hero of mine ever since I first heard one of his recordings. The man has been involved in performing and teaching for over 60 years, and his contributions to the jazz world in the last 50 cannot be matched. He continued to tour despite his age and failing health, and his playing never faltered.

Last night, my brother and I were listening to a bunch of Maynard's CDs on the way home from a road trip. We were talking about how amazing it is that he is still alive and playing after all these years. Then a few hours ago I receive an email saying that he died late last night (talk about irony). It gave me goosebumps.

The jazz world just lost one of its greatest legends. Nobody will ever be able to replace the tremendous power and high register that Maynard had. His website made an official announcement today. It appears that the cause of death was kidney and liver failure. He was 78.

http://www.maynardferguson.com/

God bless you, Maynard Ferguson. I know he's playing lead trumpet up in heaven right now. Gabriel is playing 2nd.

Thats a great shame RIP

I just read about this like 10 minutes ago, and I immediately thought of Gina.

RIP Maynard.
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Edited to add: Here's an article.

OJAI, Calif., Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Walter "Maynard" Ferguson, one of the most influential musicians and band leaders in the history of Jazz, passed away August 23, 2006 at 8:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, California. He was 78 years old. His death was the result of kidney and liver failure brought on by an abdominal infection. Mr. Ferguson's four daughters Kim, Lisa, Corby, Wilder and other family members were at his side when he passed away after this brief illness. He spoke by phone with his friend and manager Steve Schankman from St. Louis, longtime tour manager Ed Sargent, and friend, and fellow trumpeter Arturo Sandoval.
Mr. Ferguson had recently returned home to California from New York after several sold out performances in July at the famed Blue Note Club. During this time, Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau band also recorded a new album at Bennett Studios in Englewood, New Jersey.
Maynard Ferguson, born May 4, 1928 in Montreal, started his career at the age of 13 when he performed as a featured soloist with the Canadian Broadcasting Company Orchestra. He played with some of the great Big Band Leaders of the 1940's including Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Barnett, Jimmy Dorsey and Stan Kenton. In 1945, at age 17, Ferguson became the leader of his own Big Band. The 78-year old musical phenomenon went on to record more than 60 albums, receiving numerous honors and awards including the GRAMMY(R) nomination for "Gonna Fly Now." In 2005, Ferguson was awarded Canada's highest civilian honor, the "Order of Canada" from the Right Honorable Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. In addition to those accolades, Ferguson has been the recipient of DownBeat Magazine's prestigious "DownBeat" Award.
"The Boss," as Ferguson is known, has been performing for packed houses for decades. His recent DVD release, "Live at The Top," captures one of his most memorable performances, a concert held at the Plaza Hotel in Rochester, New York in 1975, with Ferguson performing alongside fellow music pioneers Stan Mark, Ernie Garside and Bruce Johnston. Most recently, Ferguson and Big Bop Nouveau Band had been touring the United States. He was preparing for a Fall Tour beginning mid-September in Tokyo, Japan. He had also been invited to play for the King of Thailand's 80th birthday in January.
Mr. Ferguson's body will be cremated in his hometown of Ojai, California. Memorial contributions can be made to the Maynard Ferguson Music Scholarship Fund at University of Missouri - St. Louis, which was established by Steve Schankman at Maynard's 75th birthday celebration. Mr. Schankman and the Ferguson family are planning a memorial concert to take place in St. Louis which will feature many of the band's alumni and friends who Mr. Ferguson performed with during his more than 60-year musical career.
Mr. Ferguson's latest, and last, recording will be released later this year as a legacy to the life of Maynard Ferguson.

Me too, Zia. He was a huge talent. What a shame!! I'm sure Gina knows about this by now, but she was also the first person I thought of when I read the article this morning.

I just recently began listening to his music. He was definitely a great trumpeter. I will definitely keep digging into his musical repertoire.

This is sad news indeed. RIP.

My condolences to Gina, as well. I know how huge a fan she was of Maynard.

I thought of Gina too, RIP.

Thank you all for thinking of me - we're truly a family here. I called my cousin first, then I read over some articles and messages at his site's forum. After that, the obvious thing to turn to was his music. I greatly appreciate all of your sympathies, but I know there were far better fans than myself. Thinking of my school friend makes me sad, because I wonder how he's taking the news...he lives and breathes Maynard's music, along with music from Arturo Sandoval and other trumpet/jazz masters.

I am so thankful that I was able to see MF perform live, and it really is amazing that I had that chance. Looking at the picture I have framed of me and him together...recalling that night where we (me, my cousin, and my friend) were exposed to a musical genius...I feel so lucky. At the time, we were very excited, of course, but thinking back on it now makes it seem so much more significant. I will always treasure that experience.

Read over the forum at the MF site, and you'll see just how big of an impact Maynard has had - so many people with so many stories of how they were introduced to his music, when they met him, their favorite songs, their concert experiences, and so on...all of these people's lives were touched by this one special man.

Even at 78, he was still performing and touring, with a spirit that showed no age. I think that people assumed he'd live forever, because he was so lively and vivid. His music was never a job to him - it was his passion. That's one thing that always stood out to me about him, in anything I read or heard about him...music was his love.

My heart goes out to his family and his dear friends that he became so close to throughout his career. May God bless them during this time, and may they always cherish the memories they have of him.

Maynard, thank you for all that you've done. For me, for your family and friends, for your band, for all of your fans, for everyone. You have a beautiful spirit, and I know that it will always live on in all of us. I can just imagine you dancing in those clouds, screeching out those high notes, and jamming with all of the angels on some swingin' tune. RIP, my friend.



Edit:

It "hit" me last night, I think. I wore the following picture on my ID badge at school (made ones for my cousin and friend, as well), and my cousin and I both wore our shirts from the concert.

One of the last jazz greats...

A shame to have lost him.