Maynard Ferguson Orchestra Comes to Longwood

Straight from New York City, legendary jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau band wind up their 1999 East Coast tour at Longwood College, on Saturday, October 23, at 8 p.m. in Jarman Auditorium.

One of the most influential figures in jazz in the last quarter of the 20th century, Ferguson promotes young talent, and his group is filled with the jazz stars of tomorrow. His alumni include Chuck Mangione, Chick Corea, Bill Chase, Bob James, and Peter Erskine.

Born in Montreal in 1928, Maynard Ferguson was a child prodigy on piano, violin, and trumpet. He moved to the U. S. in 1949, and performed through the early 1950s with the big bands of Jimmy Dorsey, Charlie Barnet, and Stan Kenton. With Kenton he was renowned for dazzling solos and high-note pyrotechnics.

Ferguson formed his own band in 1956 and has gone on to achieve lasting fame as a leader. In the 1970s he pioneered the integration of jazz and rock. Among his hit recordings of that time are "MacArthur Park" and "Gonna Fly Now," theme from the motion picture "Rocky." During the 1980s, he directed the popular fusion band--High Voltage. Recently he came full circle to his swing roots with the formation of his little big band, Big Bop Nouveau.

This concert is sponsored by the Longwood Department of Music and is underwritten in memory of, and through the generosity of, Dr. Rosemary Sprague, a longtime professor of English.

Tickets are available through the Jarman Box Office (804/395-2474) and are $15 for general admission, $12 for LC faculty/staff, and $10 for students.