Willie Maiden

An eccentric personality who was an excellent soloist and an underrated arranger, Willie Maiden played mainly in big rings throughout his profession. He started learning piano when he was five and turned to saxophone at 11. Maiden was an arranger for Maynard Ferguson as soon as 1952 and was an associate (along with a tenor soloist) for Ferguson during Ferguson’s Roulette years, beginning in 1956. Maiden used Charlie Barnet in 1966 and from 1969-73 was the baritonist along with a composer/arranger for Stan Kenton, getting virtually the only real veteran (apart from the first choice) within the fresh orchestra. Maiden’s last couple of years had been spent teaching on the School of Maine. The tenorman hardly ever led his very own record session.