Sherman Eugene Ferguson (October 31, 1944 – January 22, 2006) was an American jazz drummer. For a time he was a member of the jazz trio Heard Ranier Ferguson.The Pittsburgh Press Thursday November 17, 1983 Music/Film, Trio dominates electronic 'Road Games' by Bob Karlovits, "Heard Ranier Ferguson:" ITI Records
Background Ferguson once said that when people asked him what he did, he wouldn't tell them he was a musician, he'd say he was a jazz musician. He said he was proud of it and he would wear it as a statement on his forehead if he could.Los Angeles Times January 31, 2006 Obituaries Sherman Ferguson, 61; Drummer Played With Top Names in Jazz
He also wrote liner notes and was a contributing writer. He wrote liner notes and articles for jazz magazines such as Bird and L.A. Jazz Scene.UCLA Newsroom February 07, 2006 In Memoriam Sherman FergusonJazzHOUSE.org The Last Post Sherman Ferguson L.A. session drummer, teacher by Todd S. Jenkins
Ferguson first played professionally around 1963, working with Charles Earland, Shirley Scott, Don Patterson, and Groove Holmes. he also recorded frequently with Pat Martino.Oxford Index Reference Entry Ferguson, Sherman (born 1944), drummer Concomitantly he worked as a child tutor for the Model Cities program in Philadelphia. He was a founding member of Catalyst, a jazz fusion ensemble, in 1970, remaining with them until their breakup. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he became a prolific session musician, playing on albums by Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver, and Benny Carter among many others.Allmusic Sherman Ferguson Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny He formed a trio with John Heard and Tom Ranier.The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, Department of Ethnomusicology UCLA Obituary: Sherman Ferguson He taught jazz theory at UCLA, UC-Irvine, and Jackson State University. He released the album Welcome to My Vision, on his own label Jazz-a-nance in 2002. Among the tracks on the album were "Lush Life", "Lester Left Town" and Bobby Watson's "Monk He See, Monk He Do". The band comprised Ferguson on drums, saxophonists Louis Van Taylor and Carl Randall and bassist Trevor Ware.JazzTimes November 2002 Sherman Ferguson's JazzUnion Welcome to My Vision By Larry Appelbaum
On January 22, 2006, Ferguson died at his La Crescenta home aged 61. The death was a result of diabetes.
Discography
As leader Sherman Ferguson's Jazz Union, Welcome to My Vision
With Catalyst Catalyst (Cobblestone, 1972) Perception (Muse, 1973) Unity (Muse, 1974) A Tear and a Smile (Muse, 1976) Heard Ranier Ferguson (ITI, 1983)
As sideman With Kenny Burrell Handcrafted (Muse, 1978) Kenny Burrell Live at the Village Vanguard (Muse, 1978 ) Kenny Burrell in New York (Muse, 1978 ) Then Along Came Kenny (Evidence, 1993 ) With George Cables Morning Song (HighNote, 1980 ) With Benny Carter Another Time, Another Place (Evening Star, 1996) with Phil Woods Benny Carter Songbook (MusicMasters, 1996) New York Nights (MusicMasters 1997) Benny Carter Songbook Volume II (MusicMasters, 1997) With Warne Marsh Two Days in the Life of... (Interplay, 1987) With Pat Martino Desperado (Prestige, 1970) Pat Martino/Live! (Muse, 1972 ) Consciousness (Muse, 1974) Interchange (Muse, 1994) With Tete Montoliu Carmina (Jazzizz, 1984) With Pharoah Sanders Crescent with Love (Evidence/Venus, 1992) Ballads with Love (Venus, 1992) With Bud Shank California Concert (Contemporary, 1985) with Shorty Rogers Serious Swingers (Contemporary, 1987) with Bill Perkins
References
Jason Ankeny, [ Sherman Ferguson] at Allmusic Listening In: An Interview with Sherman Ferguson by Bob Rosenbaum, Los Angeles, September 1981 (PDF file)
External links Sherman Ferguson's Jazz Union: Welcome to My Vision . . . (2003) by Jack Bowers