Don Menza - Has anyone heard a brilhart sound like this?

[LiAm84]

Just stumbled accross this video of Don Menza playing what looks like a brilhart. I dont know much about Don appart from reading about him in the Art Pepper autobiography and hearing him on one buddy rich album. Is he still alive? He's playing killing on this video! And what a sound out of that Brilhart! Its deffinatly not Getz!!!!!

http://www.dailymotion.com/savelonp/video/x1dqyc_don-menza-groovin-hard

[milandro]

well, I had never heard of Don Menza before
http://www.jazzprofessional.com/interviews/don_menza.htm
but the this cat really rocks! It is very funny (in a way) to see the second tenor Oliver Peters (or something like that) who has to follow the Menza solo with his and he struggles (playing better that I probably ever will) to keep the same pace the Menza locomotive had been setting.
Bags of energy and great creativity with a very minimum of gimmiks.
Respect!8-)

[Saxland]

Don Menza played Toronto last year:

http://www.thelivemusicreport.com/clubs/rex/donMenza/donMenza.html

[baylistenor]

Yeah looks like a Tonalin, bit of Prez in Don,s playing.The chord sequence reminds me of My Groove-Your Move Hank Mobley

[Bob M]

Terrific video!!! Thanks for sharing this find. Don Menza is a MONSTER, there is no other way to say it. His cadenza at the end of "Channel One Suite" by the Buddy Rich band is legendary. Check it out.

I had heard that he used a Tonalin on his Keilwerth at one time and it was nice to see and hear this set-up in action (something tells me I'll be putting my Tonalin on my SX-90R tonight;) )

Don Menza is also a wonderful composer and arranger. I'm in a big band that plays "Groovin' Hard", which is Menza's chart. It's tough, particularly the sax soli, but it really swings.

To paraphrase Tim Price....Don Menza needs your ears.

[Tryptykon]

Terrific video!!! Thanks for sharing this find. Don Menza is a MONSTER, there is no other way to say it. His cadenza at the end of "Channel One Suite" by the Buddy Rich band is legendary. Check it out.

I had heard that he used a Tonalin on his Keilwerth at one time and it was nice to see and hear this set-up in action (something tells me I'll be putting my Tonalin on my SX-90R tonight;) )


Nothing like inspiration, eh ?:)

That was some classic Menza.
Put it in a timecapsule for future generations to marvel at.8-)

[Tryptykon]

The other tenor player; Oliver Peters was also very good- looked like they
were having a lot of fun trading choruses/bars/phrases ..

BTW- Don's son Nick Menza is the drummer in MEGADEATH; a metal band.:shock: :D

[hakukani]

It's Megadeth (we don't want to confuse them with death metal artists), and they're really good in their genre. It takes a lot of skill to play speed metal---especially the drumming.

[dirty]

especially the drumming.
Only if you do it with a single kick bass drum.

[Jebtha]

Great clip, thanks for that. "Groovin' Hard" is a staple in the books of Monday night big bands everywhere -- easy to hear why.

Looks like the WDR band's lead alto is playing a Brilhart also.

I recently picked up Menza's live big band CD "Menza Lines" and enjoyed it a lot.

OT: Bob, what band are you with?

[A Greene]

I though Oliver Peters did a fine job. I didn't think he was struggling - it's clear that these guys are coming out or different styles. I like the Peters comes is slow and thoughtful. A less mature player (like myself) would have tried to hit the ground BURNING and run out of stuff to play after 1 chorus.

[Bob M]

jebtha-

The SOS Big Band out of Cumberland, RI

[ZenBen]

Look how much mouthpiece he takes in. Phil Barone would be proud!!!

(and a very loose embouchure too)

[andrewc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6DyIgKmilU&feature=related

Amazing.

[playitfunky]

I hear Menza all the time. Plays Charlie O's all the time.

[Reedsplinter]

Look how much mouthpiece he takes in. Phil Barone would be proud!!!

(and a very loose embouchure too)

I noticed the same thing. He's taking in the whole beak. Very interesting to watch, chops-wise.

[Perry Cobb]

I used to here him quite a bit when he lived here in Vegas in the early 90s. In fact, I played a gig with him.

[Razzy]

Very nice playing! Also dug the Carmen quote from Frank Chastenier! I could only pull that off with the love theme from Sheherazade.... is that martysax on 1st tenor?!

[Agent27]

Great chart. One of my favorite sax solis, but the last 4 measures of it are a bitch.

[area51recording]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6DyIgKmilU&feature=related

Amazing.

WOW that is INTENSE!!!!!! Great band too.... They get a big hand at the end, but I love the shots of the audience during the tune...they look like they could be watching an Ingmar Bergman flick:D

[SteveMarz]

Folks in the Los Angeles area can catch the great Mr. Menza at Charlie O's in Van Nuys. He's there 3 times in January.
Besides burning on up-tempo numbers, Don is a GREAT ballad player.

Newbies to Menza's playing should go back to his days with Buddy Rich in the 60's. The feature and cadenza Don played on the live version of "Channel One Suite" is a classic tenor sax performance.

- SM

[Tim Price]

Folks in the Los Angeles area can catch the great Mr. Menza at Charlie O's in Van Nuys. He's there 3 times in January.
Besides burning on up-tempo numbers, Don is a GREAT ballad player.

Newbies to Menza's playing should go back to his days with Buddy Rich in the 60's. The feature and cadenza Don played on the live version of "Channel One Suite" is a classic tenor sax performance.

- SM


WELL PUT STEVE.....Menza is a stand up legend of the tenor saxophone.
The best of the best.

BTW- Steve Marz is an amazing musician and player as well. He's one of the LA guys that can do anything that is needed. He is the equilivant of any major player anywhere!! Top it off with he is one special breed of musician and player.

CHECK HIM OUT!!!!!! HE IS ONE OF MY FAVS.

[martysax]

Very nice playing! Also dug the Carmen quote from Frank Chastenier! I could only pull that off with the love theme from Sheherazade.... is that martysax on 1st tenor?!

Which one?

[ChuBerry47]

Look how much mouthpiece the guy is taking in! :shock: Seriously Guys! That could be the leading factor to this type of sound.

[long island tenor]

This should put to rest the notion that "you can't play fast" on a Keilwerth!

[router9000]

"Great chart. One of my favorite sax solis, but the last 4 measures of it are a bitch."

I'm sorry, but I have to laugh at the above remark. Only because when I was in high school, I transposed all the sax parts of the soli, and after playing it a few hundred times (finally bought the real arrangement in 1978 for $25), I memorized all the parts, and they're really easy. I can also say the same for "Time Check." That's even easier at a really fast tempo. It's all memory to me now. No more music.

I did this with most of the music I played in concert band, jazz band and orchestra (in high school). You play tunes so many times that the fingering becomes automatic. It's fun looking around watching everyone else reading, while you're just fingering all the notes on "automatic." Oh... I wasn't the only one who could do this; there were a half-dozen other musicians in the bands who'd put their music away, and played whatever chart was called up. Yeah, we thought we were prima donna's.

[NSUSaxfanatic]

Oh man! I cant believe some of you guys have never heard of Don Menza! The first time I heard Channel One Suite I was hooked, he is my icon as a tenor player. Pheonominal technically, and an absolute master of the ballad. The recording of Ch. 1 Suite was so great that Buddy never tried to put it on an album again! I mean, he circular breathes for 30 freakin seconds in the cadenza!

[bongop57]

I don't know this for a fact, but I have heard that it was Menza who played the original Pink Panther. Anyone know for sure?

[SaxJazz12]

I don't know this for a fact, but I have heard that it was Menza who played the original Pink Panther. Anyone know for sure?

I think it was Plas Johnson.

[whaler]

Gene Ammons also got a huge sound from Brilhart mouthpieces;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlFCl8N0tUM

[themacintrasher]

It's Megadeth (we don't want to confuse them with death metal artists), and they're really good in their genre. It takes a lot of skill to play speed metal---especially the drumming.Megadeth isn't really death metal band.

[themacintrasher]

I don't know this for a fact, but I have heard that it was Menza who played the original Pink Panther. Anyone know for sure?

I think it was Plas Johnson.
Who also plays at Charlie O's in LA. So does Christlieb.

[hakukani]

It's Megadeth (we don't want to confuse them with death metal artists), and they're really good in their genre. It takes a lot of skill to play speed metal---especially the drumming.Megadeth isn't really death metal band.

No, Megadeth is speed metal. Death does not equal deth--that was my point.

[melvinsax]

Les Arbuckle is using one of those and he sound great!

[RICHARD GARCIA]

I understand that Don Menza used to make some mouthpieces. I've seen one and played it. It was similar to a Berg and very very open. Does anyone on the forum know much about these mouthpieces and/or history?

[BIG B Convert]

Oh man! I cant believe some of you guys have never heard of Don Menza! The first time I heard Channel One Suite I was hooked, he is my icon as a tenor player. Pheonominal technically, and an absolute master of the ballad. The recording of Ch. 1 Suite was so great that Buddy never tried to put it on an album again! I mean, he circular breathes for 30 freakin seconds in the cadenza!

How about Steve Marcus's take in Holland 1978

Bumps into the mic, drippin sweat, fast flurry of arpeg's

Tenor on steroids. 8-)

[spartacus]

More Don Menza bio here:

http://www.jazzprofessional.com/interviews/don_menza.htm

[asaxman]

Don Menza could make a kazoo sound great!!! I saw him SUB with Supersax in the 80's - stupid good, on baritone!

[Jazz House]

Wow!!! That's unexpected from that mouthpiece.