Don Menza


Don Menza is an American jazz saxophonist.

Career

Menza was born in Buffalo, where he attended Grover Cleveland High School. After serving in the U.S. Army, he was part of the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra from 1960 to 1962 and then briefly worked for Stan Kenton. From 1964 to 1968 he lived in Germany. Back in the U.S., he became a member of the Buddy Rich band in 1968 and recorded a well-known solo with that band on "Channel One Suite". In the 1970s he was a member of The Tonight Show Band. He later lived in California and played with Elvin Jones and Louie Bellson.
In 2005, Menza was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.
Menza wrote two of the charts played by the Buddy Rich Band: "Time Check" and "Groovin' Hard".

Personal life

His son Nick Menza was the drummer for the heavy metal band Megadeth.

Discography

As leader

  • Morning Song
  • First Flight
  • Horn of Plenty
  • Burnin
  • Hip Pocket
  • Ballads with Frank Strazzeri
  • Live at Claudios with Pete Magadini
  • Bilein with Joe Haider
  • Dream Suite
  • Jack Rabbitt with John Bacon, Bobby Jones
  • Menza Lines
  • Voyage with SWR Big Band
  • Very Live at Groovy
  • ''Forget the Woman''

    As sideman

With Louie Bellson
  • Louie Rides Again!
  • The Louis Bellson Explosion
  • Sunshine Rock
  • Note Smoking
  • Matterhorn
  • Dynamite!
  • Side Track
  • Louis Bellson and Explosion
  • Live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase
  • Hot
  • East Side Suite
  • Airmail Special
  • Jazz Giants
With Les DeMerle
  • Concerts by the Sea
  • Transcendental Watusi!
  • On Fire
With Neil Diamond
  • Tap Root Manuscript
  • Beautiful Noise
  • In My Lifetime
With Maynard Ferguson
With others