25 January 2004

We probably won't be allowed to bring a camera into the concert today, so here are a couple photos of the great Maynard Ferguson from the web. More on our concert experience later in the day.

Maynard and his band were terrific. They started out with It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing, moved on to Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone (He joked that he once announced it as Ain't No Sunshine 'Til She's Gone, mentioning that he must have been thinking about his first wife.), Girl From Ipanema, McArthur Park, Sir Duke, Theme from Rocky, Birdland, and many more. Maynard claims that the "sound man" inserts the high notes ("I don't play those anymore.") but there was no question he was kidding us. He also joked about a rumor that he can't read music, and brought out a stand and a sheet of music, then while he was putting on his glasses, the band all started trying to get his attention, twirling their fingers, telling him it was upside-down. The band behind him, with three trumpets, a trombone, two saxes, a piano, bass and drummer, was very good. Perhaps the most impressive part was a drum solo during Girl from Ipanema.

While some, like Susan (who stayed home) don't like high-pitched trumpet squealing, we brass players and many others in the audience were impressed to the point of gasping and laughing uncontrollably when he soared into the stratosphere with notes we hadn't even imagined a trumpet could reach. Matt commented that his face looks like it was built to play the trumpet.

Later in the day we joined Susan and some friends for a nice dinner at Chevy's mexican restaurant.

DWL