Maynard Ferguson, the undisputed high-note king of the trumpet, who toured the world with his bands for 50 years and had a hit record with the theme from "Rocky," died Aug. 23 at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, Calif., from kidney and liver failure caused by an abdominal infection. He was 78.

The obit is really well written and goes a long way towards dispelling the attitude that Ferguson was just a bunch of stratospheric special effects.

I wasn't much for his 70s and 80s recordings once I got out of high school and discovered his 50s and 60s work, which I love. I still treasure, though, the memory of seeing him perform in various high school gymnasiums in small towns in Missouri. He was a tireless proponent of the music to young people even though he wasn't quite fashionable enough to get his due for this aspect of his career during its 80s resurgence.

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I saw his obit in the "Times" this a.m. and am sorry to see him pass, though I wasn't all that big a fan of his.

I did see him live once at the Birdland club and the set, to be quite frank, was mediocre. It was all kind of cheesy. He had all these unknowns in his band, young kids really, and they wore these tacky t-shirts with Maynard Ferguson's band's name on them.

I never really was a fan, but I do have the "Conquistador" album. As a disco-jazz fan it's essential to own since it has both the "Rocky" and "Star Trek" cuts.