Don Menza, SWR Big Band - Menza, Don: Voyage (2007)

Tracklist

01. Rebel Rousers
02. Another Who
03. Emily (Arr. D. Menza)
04. Voyage (Arr. D. Menza)
05. If I Only Had a Brain (Arr. D. Menza)
06. Royal
07. Shuffle Brothers
08. Where Are You (Arr. D. Menza)
09. Sambiana

Don Menza has had strong ties with the German Jazz scene for decades - receiving some of his first solo opportunities when he was stationed in Stuttgart in the '50s and again later in the mid-1960s. He is a powerful and versatile tenor saxophonist who is able to effectively imitate most of the top horn men while maintaining a distinctive sound of his own. Menza worked with Maynard Ferguson's Orchestra (1960-1962) as both a soloist and an arranger. Following s short stint with Stan Kenton and a year leading a quintet, Menza returned to his beloved Germany living there from 1964-1968. Menza later returned to the U.S., working with Buddy Rich's big band, Elvin Jones and Louie Bellson. Menza eventually settled in California and is active as an educator and for many years was one of the most in-demand session men in the music industry.
"Listen to a good singer, and imitate what he does." That's all the instruments are, anyway-they're just an imitation of the human voice." - Don Menza

Don Menza (tenor saxophone)
Jorg Kaufman, Andreas Maile, Axel Kuhn , Pierre Paquette, Klaus Graf (saxophone)
Don Rader, Felice Civitareale, Claus Reichstaller, Karl Farrent, Rudolf Reindl (flugelhorn)
Ian Cumming, George Maus, Joe Gallardo, Marc Godfroid (trombone)
Klaus Wagenleiter (piano)
Klaus-Peter Schopfer (guitar)
Decebal Badila (bass guitar)
Holger Nell (drums)

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