Ernie Hammes

Maynard touched the lives of musicians around the world in a way that cannot be explained, but celebrated. Trumpet player, friend and personal manager, Steve Schankman worked with Maynard's family and alumni musicians to develop a one of a kind tribute - a true labor of love and a celebration of Maynard's life as one of the greats in jazz history. Held September 20, 2006 at the University of Missouri-St. Louis Touhill Performing Arts Center in St. Louis, this tribute Concert brought together more than 30 alumni artists from Maynard's fifty plus years of entertaining audiences around the world. In a manner of words, the tribute was the ultimate symphony dedicated to a man they called "The Boss". His dedication to education and his pure love of sound made Maynard the kind of performer these musicians strive to be today. He is a beloved hero, entertainer, bandleader, mentor and friend whose legend will live on in every trumpet note.

Because jazz is the miraculous product of the horror of slavery, Youssou N'Dour returned to the slave route and the music they created, in search of new inspiration. Accompanied by the blind Swiss pianist Moncef Genoud and the Director of the Gorée House of Slaves Museum, Joseph N'Diaye, the Senegalese singer wrote new songs during this initiatory voyage which took him to the USA then to Europe. At Gorée, an island just off the Senegalese coast and symbol of the slave trade, his memorable concert marked the end of this quest and the start of a new challenge: making today's generation aware of the tragedy of slavery, the importance of not forgetting and the need for reconciliation.