Don Menza is a monster. He wrote Groovin' Hard when he was in the Buddy Rich Big Band in the late 1960's and Buddy loved it and kept it in the Book until he died. It became a flag waver and was probably played almost every night. This is a great band with Joe LaBarbera (brother of Pat LaBarbera) on drums. I saw Don Menza play in a club in Sydney Australia in the 1970's he was sitting in with a very strong band whilst on tour with Henry Mancini who came in to listen. Don Menza blew the place apart. He was playing a black hard rubber mouthpiece he made himself. Don Menza also wrote Time Check another great chart.
Carl Fontana had an early career with the big bands of Woody Herman and Stan Kenton in the 50s, but then settled in with steady trombone work in Las Vegas for years. Always tasteful with great feeling, he also was a fast doodle tongue player when it fit the tune.
