Don Menza - Jack Rabbitt (Cadence Jazz Records)

[JSngry]

I've never dug Don Menza too much. The early solos w/Maynard's band were a gas (nitrous oxide, most likely), but after that, no. Full of sound and fury, etc., or so it felt to me. Great saxophonist, just not telling a story that was relevant to any part of my lifestyle, and life goes on anyway, don't it now.

But this side is sweet. It's Menza with an organist I've never heard of (Bobby Jones) & a drummer I've never heard of either (John Bacon). The program is a few standards (two ballads - "Body & Soul" + "My Foolish Heart") a Mancini tune I've never heard of before - "Soldier In The Rain" - and some genuinely attractive mid-tempo originals by Bacon. It was recorded in Buffalo (and perhaps getting away from the West Coast scene is part of why Menza sounds so relaxed. Or not.) in 2003.

Believe me when I tell you that Menza is absolutely mellow on this date. The problem I've always had with him was that he always seemed to have a chip on his shoulder that manifested itself musically as an agressive hyper-virtuosity that was just plain ugly to my ears. Not so here. He takes his time, caresses his lines, and by god, he breathes! The organ/drum backing gives him a nice cushion to ride on, and ride on it he does. His tone is drop-dead gorgeous (and nuanced) too, totally relaxed and in synch with his lines at all times.

He also seems to be "reminiscing" in his playing here. There's lots of conjuring of other player's sounds and techniques, literal conjuring, not "allusions". But there's never an air of gimmickry about it, and it's always in passages of a solo. He doesn't do the trick bag of playing an entire solo "in the style of" somebody else. It's like he's saying, "Hey, I'm old now. Let me tell you about some of the things I've heard." It's almost like he's telling a story in his own voice and then he'll say, "And then Paul Gonsalves walked in the room and said...". That kind of thing.

From a youngster who was proclaiming to be Upholding The Tradition, it would be bullshit, posing. But you know that Menza probably was in a room or two (or more) when Gonsalves or Stitt or Zoot or Ben or Hawk walked into the room and said... So it's real, not bullshit. Besides, when he speaks in his own voice, which is most of the time overall, Menza tells his stories masterfully, with a pacing and a sense of patience I've never heard from him before. There are moments of dazzle, but moments are all they are, and unlike what I've always heard from him, they're musically relevant. they advance the story along instead of being the whole story in and of themselves.

I like to think that by this time, I know what to expect from "known quantities" like Menza. And most of the time I do. But every once in a while, a cat will step away from what he's been doing for a lifetime and, for whatever reason, show a whole 'nother side of him/her-self, a side that make you wonder where the hell they've been hiding it for all these years, or what has happened in their life to make THIS happen to them. Such is the case here. This is a truly masterful album of some truly masterful tenor playing. Not "Innovative" or "Brilliant", mind you, but masterful nevertheless. You can't tell stories like these (and you can't tell stories like these like this) w/o being a mature, master musician with a helluva lot of love in your soul. Whatever had been blocking it from coming out (just my opinion) all these years was definitely not in place in Buffalo on July 30, 2003.

Available for $14.00 here: http://db.cadencebuilding.com/searchresult...&lastname=MENZA

Hey, it's Don Menza. I'm not a Don Menza kind of guy. Not even slightly. I'd not be recommending a Don Menza album unless it was damn fine.

Believe me, this one is.

Edited February 7, 2006 by JSngry

[John Tapscott]

This is a Menza big band date from 2004, and all the qualities Jim describes are heard on this CD, both in Don's playing and writing. A very nice session IMO.

http://www.jazzedmedia.com/

[Nate Dorward]

Yeah, Menza Lines is excellent. Haven't heard the one Jim's talking about, yet. John Bacon's the drummer on those weird Roswell Rudd CIMP discs; haven't come across him elsewhere.

[relyles]

I first encountered Menza on the 2001 Woofy Productions release, Live at Capozzoli’s. My impressions on first hearing that recording was that Menza was a mature musician who was comfortable enough to simply relax and play himself. I did not hear a lot of the firebreathing technique monster Jim hints at. The new recording souns like it make be similar and something worth checking out.

Edited February 7, 2006 by relyles

[JSngry]

Haven't heard thos other sides, but I have heard other latter-day Menza, and although it's not nearly as pyrotechnical as his earlier work, there's still been a nervous edge to it that ultimately turns me off. That edge is not even slightly present on this album, but if y'all say it's not there on those others too, I'll take your word for it.

[Lazaro Vega]

There's a nice Bobby Shew feature on Menza Lines, the nearly 10 minute "Prelude to a Kiss," and the roaring side of Menza cruises over "After You've Gone" changes on "Time to Leave."

[BFrank]

I've had an LP of "First Flight" forEVER. I've always enjoyed it and thought it was a really strong blowing date.

[paul secor]

I've never dug Don Menza too much. The early solos w/Maynard's band were a gas (nitrous oxide, most likely), but after that, no. Full of sound and fury, etc., or so it felt to me. Great saxophonist, just not telling a story that was relevant to any part of my lifestyle, and life goes on anyway, don't it now.

But this side is sweet. It's Menza with an organist I've never heard of (Bobby Jones) & a drummer I've never heard of either (John Bacon). The program is a few standards (two ballads - "Body & Soul" + "My Foolish Heart") a Mancini tune I've never heard of before - "Soldier In The Rain" - and some genuinely attractive mid-tempo originals by Bacon. It was recorded in Buffalo (and perhaps getting away from the West Coast scene is part of why Menza sounds so relaxed. Or not.) in 2003.

Believe me when I tell you that Menza is absolutely mellow on this date. The problem I've always had with him was that he always seemed to have a chip on his shoulder that manifested itself musically as an agressive hyper-virtuosity that was just plain ugly to my ears. Not so here. He takes his time, caresses his lines, and by god, he breathes! The organ/drum backing gives him a nice cushion to ride on, and ride on it he does. His tone is drop-dead gorgeous (and nuanced) too, totally relaxed and in synch with his lines at all times.

He also seems to be "reminiscing" in his playing here. There's lots of conjuring of other player's sounds and techniques, literal conjuring, not "allusions". But there's never an air of gimmickry about it, and it's always in passages of a solo. He doesn't do the trick bag of playing an entire solo "in the style of" somebody else. It's like he's saying, "Hey, I'm old now. Let me tell you about some of the things I've heard." It's almost like he's telling a story in his own voice and then he'll say, "And then Paul Gonsalves walked in the room and said...". That kind of thing.

From a youngster who was proclaiming to be Upholding The Tradition, it would be bullshit, posing. But you know that Menza probably was in a room or two (or more) when Gonsalves or Stitt or Zoot or Ben or Hawk walked into the room and said... So it's real, not bullshit. Besides, when he speaks in his own voice, which is most of the time overall, Menza tells his stories masterfully, with a pacing and a sense of patience I've never heard from him before. There are moments of dazzle, but moments are all they are, and unlike what I've always heard from him, they're musically relevant. they advance the story along instead of being the whole story in and of themselves.

I like to think that by this time, I know what to expect from "known quantities" like Menza. And most of the time I do. But every once in a while, a cat will step away from what he's been doing for a lifetime and, for whatever reason, show a whole 'nother side of him/her-self, a side that make you wonder where the hell they've been hiding it for all these years, or what has happened in their life to make THIS happen to them. Such is the case here. This is a truly masterful album of some truly masterful tenor playing. Not "Innovative" or "Brilliant", mind you, but masterful nevertheless. You can't tell stories like these (and you can't tell stories like these like this) w/o being a mature, master musician with a helluva lot of love in your soul. Whatever had been blocking it from coming out (just my opinion) all these years was definitely not in place in Buffalo on July 30, 2003.

Available for $14.00 here: http://db.cadencebuilding.com/searchresult...&lastname=MENZA

Hey, it's Don Menza. I'm not a Don Menza kind of guy. Not even slightly. I'd not be recommending a Don Menza album unless it was damn fine.

Believe me, this one is.

Read (or reread the above) - it says everything you have to know about this recording. Then get the CD, listen, and it will be in your collection for life.

Don Menza played the first live jazz I heard. I was 17, it was my first day at college, and a new world opened up for me. Jack Rabbit brought back some of the memories and feelings of that day. I hope there will be more to come, but if not, this will be enough.

Many thanks to Jim for posting this. It's one of the most eloquent reviews I can recall reading. I've only done this a couple of times before, but I'm copying the review - appreciation might be a better term - and putting it inside the Jack Rabbit CD case. (Jim, If I have to pay royalties for the reprint rights, pm me and I hope we can work something out.)

[JSngry]

Paul, I'm flattered and honored.

Just curious - did you already have the CD before reading the post?

Edited March 10, 2006 by JSngry

[paul secor]

Nope. Your writing was the incentive to order it, and I can't thank you enough for that.

[JSngry]

Well then, not only am I flattered and honored, I am genuinely humbled.

Thank you.

[relyles]

I finally got around to purchasing this disc. I gave it a listen on my way to an Anthony Braxton concert tonight. Very nice indeed!