Mark Ferguson: Jazz Pianist, Trombonist, Composer, Arranger, Producer and Music Educator
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman
07/16/22
•78m
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Mark Ferguson is a jazz pianist, trombonist, composer, arranger, producer and music educator. In this episode you get to hear him perform 3 of his original compositions on piano. We talk about his mentors, perspectives on music education and the interesting twists and turns in his varied career. He’s performed with many of the world’s great artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Gil Evans, Aretha Franklin, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Holly Cole and Manteca,. Mark Ferguson website: http://markferguson.ca/music/
All these episodes are available in video format as well, and the transcripts are gradually being published to my blog: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/mark-ferguson-jazz-pianist-trombonist-composer-arranger-producer-and-music-educator
Please help me keep this going! https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
photo credit: Claude Brazeau
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(00:56) how we met
(02:29) Mark’s early education and gigs
(08:32) lessons with Jerry Johnson and playing gigs with Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Rita Moreno
(11:06) lessons with Rob McConnell, arranging, valve trombone
(14:37) Mark’s composition “F Sharp”
(20:55) jazz harmony, different roles as rhythm player in the band and horn player
(22:40) Miguel De Armas
(23:13) Manteca, Colleen Allen, Matt Zimbel
(26:29) teaching at McGill University
(27:52) Classical and jazz worlds James McGowan
(30:37) Kellylee Evans, Ella Fitzgerald, jazz
(31:18) teaching orchestration and theory
(33:04) learning tunes and Hugh O’Connor
(35:19) learning lyrics and Ben Webster story
(37:00) transposition
(39:21) importance of keyboard skills
(40:15) Voicing chords
(42:00) arranging
(43:09) staying in shape as a trombonist
(43:45) pandemic experience, performing on Syncspace live
(44:45) teaching online
(46:32) variety in rhythm, keeping the groove
(50:21) working with high school students, jazz history
(52:19) Mark’s composition “Home”
(59:51) performance skills
(01:01:42) Mark’s new solo album plans
(01:03:03) different sides of Mark’s personality as a trombone player and pianist, big band versus small ensemble
(01:04:16) jazz audience, advantages of knowing jazz harmony, Alexander Shelley
(01:07:04) Mark’s early days as a jazz pianist, career choices
(01:08:42) advice for young players
(01:10:04) Vista Trio, playing with others to keep in shape
(01:11:37) difference between composition and improvisation
(01:12:14) staying healthy
(01:14:37) Mark’s composition “Take the O Train”
Previous Episode
Douglas Burden: Bass Trombonist and Educator
July 9, 2022
•97m
In this episode I speak with a wonderful colleague, the Bass Trombonist Douglas Burden, who has recently retired from Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra after 50 years. He shares his perspectives on his career, including wisdom passed down from some of his mentors including Emory Remington and Arnold Jacobs, and the lessons he learned about staying healthy and keeping his playing at the highest level. Doug is also well-known as an educator and will continue to teach at the University of Ottawa; he also shares his thoughts on what an orchestral career means, his memories of different conductors, his practice tips, and the importance of balancing different aspects of a life well-lived.
As I point out in the intro,I'm including a link to Doug's gorgeous singing style in a Bordogni Vocalise (since we weren't able to use the recording he made during the episode due to a technical problem): https://youtu.be/p5ti8bKzsEg
Below I've included timestamps for the many topics covered.
All these episodes are also available as videos, here's the link: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/douglas-burden-bass-trombonist-and-educator
Help me keep this podcast going with a tip! https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
photo credit: Fred Cattroll
(00:00) Intro
(01:44) playing as singing, Jack Everly
(04:12) how to anticipate the beat, release the sound, Mario Bernardi and history of NACO
(10:41) role of low brass in an orchestra
(14:06) types of trombones, particularities of the instrument
(17:14) Arnold Jacobs
(26:03) Doug’s start in music and family background
(30:15) Emory Remington’s legacy and his sudden death, Donald Knaub
(38:15) starting out in NACO and many brass players at the time: Gordon Cherry, Bob Odes, Gene Watts, Chuck Kaellenbach
(40:02) Pinchas Zukerman and establishing contracts for positions like bass trombone
(45:37) changes in the working conditions over the years
(46:58) changes in auditions
(49:57) advice for musicians preparing orchestral auditions, more about Arnold Jacobs
(53:42) Intonation
(01:00:56) Endurance, preventing injury, staying in good physical shape and taking care of yourself
(01:16:17) Franz-Paul Decker
(01:20:11) score study, practice routine, practicing Bach Cello Suites
(01:31:12) advice for serious students contemplating an orchestral career
Next Episode
Violinist Veronica Thomas talks about her diverse career, her musical training, her inspiring mother Belva Boroditsky Thomas, and the wonderful work the Centre Préville is doing, including their uniquely flexible and high-quality video-conferencing platform and the incredible arts outreach they've been doing with remote Indigenous communities and more. She is General Director of the Préville Fine Arts Centre which her mother started in 1974. https://centrepreville.org/
The video version of this conversation is linked here along with the transcript and bonus episode: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/e6-s1-veronica-thomas
Please support this podcast with a tip! I'm an independant podcast who does all the jobs and covers all the costs, with a little help
from my friends through Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
Her mother's memoir is available in print or here: https://books.google.ca/books?id=7D48...
This was recorded June 10, 2021.
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