|
Scenes from Arts-burgh -
PittsburghLIVE.com |
|
October 25th, 2005 00:00 |
 Maynard
Ferguson
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Trumpeter Maynard Ferguson showed Saturday at Dowe's
on 9th that he is willing to start acting his
age.
At 77, the high-note wizard spent most of his act
directing his Big Bop Nouveau from a stool in the
middle of the bandstand. That decision was helped by
the fact that trumpeter Patrick Hession is able to
play his role and reach the soaring trumpet heights
for which Ferguson is known.
Oh, he played quite a bit himself and showed he still
is the phenom who has been on the road more than 50
years. And that seemed to please the full house at
the Downtown club who gave the band an enthusiastic
response.
|
|
On the Road Again with Maynard! |
|
September 21st, 2005 00:00 |
 After
getting off the road with Maynard Ferguson & Big
Bop Nouveau, Patrick had a pretty busy summer of
2005. As soon as Patrick got home in May, he had a
baroque trumpet and organ wedding with organist Larry
Przybysz. Patrick then flew out to play with Paul
Anka at Harrah's Casino in St. Louis, MO. Patrick was
then called by Lon Bronson to play lead trumpet in
"The Rat Pack Returns in The Tribute to Frank, Sammy,
Joey & Dean" for a six-week run at the Detroit
City Theatre. Patrick also had various summer gigs
with Maynard Ferguson & Big Bop Nouveau and some
of them included, the Blue Note in New York, the
Cesky Krumlov International Music Festival 2005 and a
fun filled week at Ronnie Scott's in London! To end
off the summer, Patrick had a Local 5 trust fund gig,
a gig with Grupo Fuego, The OJ's and a couple of gigs
with Spyder Turner. One of which was at the world
famous Woodward Dream Cruise! Kicking off the fall
tour, Patrick will be back on the road with Maynard
Ferguson & Big Nouveau starting September 23rd.
We hope to see you there!
|
|
Sneak Peek at Monette's ALL-NEW 2006 Line of PRANA
Instruments! |
|
August 24th, 2005 00:00 |
 Here
is a Sneak Peek at Monette's ALL-NEW 2006 Line of
PRANA Instruments! We hope you enjoy the seven-minute
video collage featuring some of the top artists
play-testing Monette's new PRANA Instruments. Patrick
appears in this video collage three times, so check
it out!
|
|
View Amazing Video at Monette's Website! |
|
Maynard Ferguson's Big Bop Nouveau,
London |
|
August 5th, 2005 03:00 |
 By
Mike Hobart
Published: August 5, 2005
03:00
Ferguson was never known for the subtleties of his
trumpet technique, though he still strings together
the occasional well-crafted phrase. His renown lies
more in his spectacularly powerful high note playing,
which is so full-on that it grabs audiences by the
throat. Now in his late 70s, he restricts these
trademark stratospheric blasts to a few warmly
received bars on each number, though he did indulge
in a bit of high-note jousting with the lead
trumpeter Patrick Hession.
|
|
View full Article |
|
Dose of the real world Still powering ahead;
JAZZ |
|
August 2nd, 2005 00:00 |
 The
Evening Standard (London, England)
August 2nd, 2005
Byline: JACK MASSARIK
Maynard Ferguson's Big Bop Nouveau
Ronnie Scott's Club, W1
Maynard finally revved the volume back up with a
medley of his big-band hits. His soaring, whinnying
flourishes were electrifying, but the sheer precision
of the brass, with Patrick Hession on lead, was the
trump card.
|
|
View full Article |
|
Hessions Sessions Guestbook Updated |
|
July 23rd, 2005 00:00 |
 The
Hessions Sessions Guestbook has been updated to a
newer version. You can now post pictures with your
entries and spamming will not be a problem
anymore.
|
|
Visit the Guestbook |
|
Trumpet Guru Wows Kobalt Crowd |
|
June 25th, 2005 00:00 |
June 25, 2005
A Review by Peter Landsdowne
Big Bop Nouveau is packed with impressive soloists,
but the band's ensemble playing is something to hear
as well. This attribute became evident on "The MF Hit
Medley," a crowd-pleaser that elicited the first
standing ovation of the evening. Hession was a
standout throughout the medley, handling everything
from "MacArthur Park" to a beautifully rendered
version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" with
aplomb and some impressive high-register work.
|
|
View full Article |
|
Haydn Student Trumpets Blog - Trumpet News and Tips:
Pro Trumpet ... |
|
June 7th, 2005 00:00 |
 June
07, 2005
Maynard Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau Band
I saw Maynard Ferguson and his band perform recently.
It is great to see that he is still out there giving
it his best. He is obviously moving on in years and
not playing a whole lot while on stage. His lead
trumpet player, Patrick Hession, more than fills in
however. Maynard and the band tour extensively, often
conducting master classes at schools in the afternoon
before giving their evening concerts. Check out their
schedule to see if they are coming to your area.
|
|
View Haydn Student Trumpets Blog! |
|
Crowd pleaser |
|
May 7th, 2005 00:00 |
 Crowd
pleaser
Audience loves trumpeter Ferguson's all-out assault
on senses
Saturday, May 07, 2005
BY ZAN STEWART
Star-Ledger Staff
Master blaster trumpeter Maynard Ferguson's still got
it.
Celebrating his 77th birthday with a concert with his
nine-piece Big Bop Nouveau band Wednesday at John P.
Stevens High School in Edison, Ferguson took the
stage on the opening blues and laid out one of his
legendary about-as-high-as-you-can-go trumpet tones.
He then kept on laying them out for the entire
show.
Ferguson has to be championed for his ability at the
twilight of his career he led his first American band
in Long Branch, he told the packed house of about
1,000, in the mid-'50s to play these incredibly
demanding notes. Few at any age can do it, though
Ferguson's lead trumpeter, Patrick Hession, sure
could.
And Ferguson has to be celebrated for his
consistency: He didn't crack a note. He did, however,
mostly employ a lip trill, or a shake, which resulted
in a wavering between two notes instead of a single
one nailed right on the button. The lip trill also
often resulted in a mass of brass sound rather than a
glistening trumpet note.
What Ferguson didn't do very much was relax. Each of
his solos -- even the ballad "But Beautiful" -- had
regular high screamers. It was as if to not hit them
high, hard and loud wouldn't have given the fans what
they wanted -- or wouldn't have allowed him to show
that he could still do it. But after a while, this
constant bravado -- the band was very loud, too, for
the most part -- was counterproductive. The show,
ultimately, was more about sensation than
content.
To be fair, it seemed this was what the audience
wanted. Cheers often broke out after a high zinger,
and a thunderous standing ovation greeted the closing
medley. The one time the trumpeter ended a number
with less than searing tones, on "But Beautiful,"
applause was demonstrably less than other zealous
finishes.
The Big Bop Nouveau was outstanding in its support of
Ferguson and in its first-rate musicianship in
playing the material.
Several pieces stood out. Take "A Frame for the
Blues," written for Ferguson in the late-'50s by East
Orange's Slide Hampton, who played with the trumpeter
then. After some sky-highs from "MF," as Ferguson has
long been known, the fetching theme ensued soft for a
bit, with delicate brass colors. After solos by
tenorman Matt Parker, and enthusiastic phrase trades
between Ferguson and trombonist Reggie Watkins, the
piece got loud, then softened at the close.
The swinging "Dr. Pops Ph.D." found Ferguson
refreshingly playing some attractive, fluid bop
phrases along with his ceiling scrapers. He did the
same on "But Beautiful," where pianist Ji Young Lee
wove "Happy Birthday" into her unaccompanied opening.
Jobim's "The Girl from Ipanema" was overstated. Here,
however, drummer Stockton Helbing played a delicate
solo, tapping his cymbals and drums and creating
appealing percussion colors, using his elbow on a
drum to coax out another "Happy Birthday."
Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" stood out in the medley
of MF hits; it had some zesty, funky moments,
particularly from pianist Lee.
The affair benefited the high school's band program.
The school's jazz ensemble, directed by Andrew
DeNicola, began the evening with three solid pieces,
played with poise, precision and verve. The spiffy
"High Maintenance" sported a boisterous alto solo by
Andrew Zhang. Soft and glowing, "Satin N' Glass" had
standout flugelhorn work from Natalie Adler and
Caitlin Nichols. Nichols and drummer Mark Lippi both
tore it up on the Latin groover "Mueva Los
Huesos."
© 2005 The Star Ledger
© 2005 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
|
|
Maynard Ferguson at Beethoven Hall |
|
April 8th, 2005 00:00 |
 Member
Recommendation: Very Highly Recommended
Category: Music
Performer: Maynard Ferguson
Type of Music: Jazz
Reviewed by mmhicks on April 8, 2005
From journal: San Antonio on a Whim
Twenty years had passed since I last saw Maynard
Ferguson. As a jazz saxophone player, I was always in
awe of his ability to keep a stream of extremely
talented musicians filling the seats of his Big Bop
Nouveau band. I was concerned about his ability to
play as he approaches his 77th birthday, but those
concerns were put to rest when he played his first
note.
Before Maynard took the stage, a couple of his band
members with new CDs played a couple of songs each.
Drummer Stockton Hebling (yes, that's his real name)
gave a preview of his skills, only to surpass this
demonstration later in the concert. Musical director
and trombonist Reggie Watkins also gave us a taste of
his new release, and his incredible technical and
musical skills got the crowd ready.
Then came the Boss. Sporting a cast on his wrist and
older than I expected, Maynard walked on with the
same confidence that indicated he was still the
leader of the band. His playing time was limited, and
the notes were not as high as they were 20 years ago,
but the notes he played still had that rich, broad
tone that only a trumpet master can produce. His
skill as a musician has been surpassed by his skill
as a music leader. He has put together a band of
young, brilliant musicians who play with enthusiasm,
skill, smiles, and laughter.
The show was in the 600-seat Beethoven Hall, and we
found third-row tickets once we arrived in town. I
hear there are no bad seats in the auditorium, but
that was no concern to us, as we were close enough to
hear them clear their spit valves.
Maynard's trademark was his ability to play very high
notes. Now he has a young stud, Patrick Hession, who
plays his parts on a medley of classic tunes that
made Maynard famous, like Gonna Fly Now (theme from
Rocky), MacArthur Park, and others. But the thrill of
the night was when they finished with Birdland, and
Matt Parker made his tenor sax sing like few can do
it.
I had fun -- just plain giddy fun
sitting there with my son (a trumpet player) and
watching his eyes light up as he experienced
something he had never seen. I understood great jazz
before the concert. We appreciated it together for
hours after the concert. Catch Maynard Ferguson if he
comes to your town. Or drive 5 hours with a kid and
watch a new dimension in music enter his world in a
matter of a couple of hours.
|
|
Hessions Sessions Photo Gallery Updated |
|
March 14th, 2005 00:00 |
The Hessions Sessions Photo Gallery has now been
updated! In Celebration of Black History Month,
Patrick played in Port Huron and Sarnia, Canada with
the International Symphony Orchestra. Patrick is back
on the road with Maynard Ferguson and Big Bop Nouveau
until May 15th. We hope to see you there!
|
|
Visit the Photo Gallery |
|
"A-List": A Review by Kelly Beaman |
|
February 22nd, 2005 00:00 |
 "A-List":
A Review
Kelly
Beaman
Published: 2/22/2005
"A-List" JFP-CD01 Personnel: Reggie Watkins, trombone
and compositions; Eugene Stovall, vocals; David
Throckmorton, drums; James Johnson III, drums; Nathen
Peck, electric and acoustic bass; Howard Alexander,
piano and synthesizer; Eric Defade, tenor saxophone
and flute; Rick Matt, soprano, alto, tenor and
baritone saxophones; Patrick Hession, lead trumpet;
Ken Robinson, trumpet; Ian Gordon, trumpet; Jamie
Moore, trumpet; Craig "Izzy" Arlet, guitar; Alex
Peck, tambourine; Scott McIntosh, alto saxophone;
Carmello Torres, percussion. Selections: "Three Girls
On Two Chairs," "Weight For Six," "You Don't Know
What Love Is," "Molero," "Sittin' Here In My Room,"
"Whisper Not," "December Twentieth," "Two Colors,"
"Ask Me Know," "Star Jive."
|
|
View full Article |
|
Past Newsletters of the Glenn Miller
Orchestra |
|
February 1st, 2005 00:00 |
 Brought
to you by Glenn Miller Productions, Inc., the owner
and operator of The World Famous Glenn Miller
Orchestra Big Band Newsletter #057
This past Tuesday night I went to hear the very
gifted Maynard Ferguson. Still going strong at age
76, Maynard and his band performed a 90 minute set
that was just incredible. The band is composed of
many young, talent players including lead trumpeter
Patrick Hession, who also played lead trumpet with
the Glenn Miller Orchestra, 1996 - 1998, and musical
director/trombonist Reggie Watkins. Maynard and his
Big Bop Nouveau band are loud, but the playing and
arrangements are great.
|
|
View Past Newsletters |
|
"Festive Masterpieces for Trumpet and Organ" is Now
Available! |
|
January 22nd, 2005 00:00 |
 Kenneth
Robinson's debut classical CD, "Festive Masterpieces
for Trumpet and Organ," is now available at KGRMUSIC.COM. Check out
the clips on the Audio Page. This
CD is dedicated to AJ Abdallah, who was tragically
shot and killed in his recording studio in Ferndale,
Michigan, January 2, 2005. AJ recorded, mixed and
mastered this CD and it was the last finished product
to come out of Studio 8. Our thoughts and prayers go
out to his family and friends. We will miss you AJ.
You are one in a million! Patrick and Ken can be seen
on tour with Maynard Ferguson and Big Bop Nouveau
until February 21st. Patrick put a special Piccolo
Trumpet part in the MF HIT MEDLEY 2005, so come check
it out. Visit Tribute
Website for AJ Abdallah
|
|
Festive Masterpieces for Trumpet and Organ |
|
Christmas is a very busy time of year |
|
January 21st, 2005 00:00 |
 Christmas
is a very busy time of year if you are a trumpet
player and for Patrick there was no exception. First
off, Patrick played a couple of gigs with the local
Latin band, Salvaje. Then, Patrick and Ken Robinson,
roommate and best friend, were off to Dearborn,
Michigan to be guest performers with the Annapolis
High School Band's Christmas Concerts. Patrick then
spent the day with the students and then played for
their basketball game that night. Patrick and Ken
were off again to Port Huron, Michigan to play a
Christmas concert with the International Symphony
Orchestra. Immediately after the ISO Christmas
Concert, Patrick and Ken were off to Royal Oak,
Michigan to play for the Royal Oak Music Center's
annual Christmas party with the Howling Diablos.
Patrick and Ken also played with the now rising Latin
stars, Grupo Fuego. They are now #6 on Latin
Billboard and have asked Patrick and Ken to join the
band, but Patrick's loyalty is still for Maynard
Ferguson, a.k.a., "The Boss." Besides, Maynard told
Patrick that he could not quit Big Bop Nouveau
without his permission! Patrick then ended the
Christmas season with a total of four Masses on
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Another great New
Year's Eve with the Incomparable Paul Anka and this
year, Patrick was able to get Ken Robinson on the
gig. Due to the recommendation of Daniel Falcone,
Patrick has played New Year's Eve with Paul Anka on
several occasions and it is always a blast for him to
be able to do the gig. The gig was at the Potawatomi
Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Paul had a great
spread in his Presidential Suite after the gig and
the hang was a lot of fun. Thanks, Paul! Before
flying back out to join Maynard Ferguson for the
Winter tour, Patrick played three gigs with Spyder
Turner at the Motor City Casino in Detroit, Michigan.
Patrick will be back on the road with Maynard
Ferguson & Big Nouveau starting January 10th.
|
|
|
|
