The Jump City Jazz Orchestra to Honor Maynard Ferguson

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Big band fans will have the chance on October 25, 2006 to hear Philadelphia's hottest big band pay tribute to a musical legend. The Jump City Jazz Orchestra, featuring special guest artist Matt Gallagher, will perform a tribute concert to recently deceased trumpeter Maynard Ferguson at Chris Jazz Café in Philadelphia, PA. Maynard Ferguson began his musical career as a child prodigy and ended it as a legend. Ferguson passed away this past August at the age of 78 after a 60+ year musical career. With 3 Grammy Nominations and over 60 albums to his credit, Ferguson left an enduring legacy to generations of musicians as a virtuoso musician and extraordinary showman.

"Band leader Stan Kenton, in his 1952 recording titled 'This is an Orchestra', described Maynard Ferguson as 'someone capable of stirring great feelings of fire, '" recalls Bob Wagner, Trumpeter and Artistic director for the 18-piece Jump City Jazz Orchestra. "We have the unique opportunity to pay tribute to a musical legend and his legacy at one of Philly's premier jazz clubs."

Joining the JCJO as a special guest will be acclaimed trumpeter Matt Gallagher; "A man who's trumpet playing is also capable of stirring great feelings of fire", notes Wagner. Gallagher, a member of the music faculty of both West Chester University and Philadelphia's University of the Arts, is the region's premier lead trumpet player. "Maynard has been an enormous influence on my musical career", notes Gallagher. "I'm very excited to join the Jump City Jazz Orchestra in a tribute concert to him. They are an energetic and exciting big band that really knows how to entertain an audience; a fact that Maynard, as the consummate showman, would probably really enjoy."

According to Wagner, Gallagher will be a featured soloist as well as lead the band from the trumpet section on musical numbers assembled from a cross section of Ferguson's big band career, including rarely heard pieces from his early days as a band leader.

The Jump City Jazz Orchestra is comprised of eighteen of the Delaware Valley's finest musicians and vocalists dedicated to faithfully recreating the magic and excitement of over sixty years of big band and swing music.

Matt Gallagher, lead trumpet player with many professional bands in Philadelphia and Atlantic City; performed with several Broadway show productions and artists including Lou Rawls, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Joni Mitchell, Barry Manilow, Bernadette Peters, and many others. Director of the High School All Star Grammy Jazz Ensemble at The University of the Arts.

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