Wayne Bergeron

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Wayne Bergeron (born January 16, 1958) is an American jazz musician and trumpet player who rose to fame in the mid 1980s after playing lead trumpet in Maynard Ferguson's band. He is notable for his consistency and ability in the upper register of the instrument, some of which is highlighted in his scream trumpet work in the soundtrack of The Incredibles. He is a prominent session musician, with his playing featured on hundreds of motion picture soundtracks, and he has collaborated with many mainstream musicians.

Biography

Born in 1958 in Hartford, Connecticut, Bergeron grew up in Southern California. His interest in music started at a young age, and he began playing French Horn. However, he switched to trumpet in the 8th grade. While he was in middle school, he was trying to balance on a box next to a car when he slipped, smashing into the car and chipping his tooth. It is thought that due to the chip in his tooth, he is able to blow more air through the horn and play higher notes easier. However, this has not been proven, and even Bergeron himself is not positively sure what contributes to his natural ability on trumpet. He has been quoted saying: “I found I had natural ability for playing the trumpet in the upper register at an early age.” Even early on, he was able to capably play in a high register on the trumpet, a skill that takes most trumpet players years to develop. Wayne has said that it was difficult for him to learn the trumpet because he naturally played everything up two octaves. He could play a double high C (C7) before he could play low C (C4/middle C).

Maynard Ferguson

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Walter Maynard Ferguson (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served as stepping stones for up-and-coming talent, and his ability to play expressively and accurately in a remarkably high register.

Biography

Early life and education

Ferguson was born in Verdun (now part of Montreal), Quebec. Encouraged by his mother and father (both musicians), Maynard was playing piano and violin by the age of four. Newsreel footage exists of Ferguson as a child prodigy violinist. At nine years old, he heard a cornet for the first time in his local church and asked his parents to purchase one for him. At age thirteen, Ferguson first soloed with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra. He was heard frequently on the CBC, notably featured on a "Serenade for Trumpet in Jazz" written for him by Morris Davis. Ferguson won a scholarship to the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal where he studied from 1943 through 1948 with Bernard Baker.