Who else comes back to watch this video from time to time? He's taught me to listen to the sound/tone I'm making as I play as well as the notes and intonation.
This should prove it once and for all. It's the player. People obsess over which horn, piece, neck and reed to sound like whomever. Don knows how to PLAY all those different types of sounds on one horn, mouthpiece and reed. Think about that - how can he do that? A six and a link don't make you Dexter Gordon. This is inspiring playing from Don!
a Link on a Six makes you Dexter, OR Coltrane, OR Stitt, OR Mobely, OR Brecker, or Turrentine, OR Daniels, OR George Coleman, OR Tabakin, OR Marsalis, OR Griffin, etc etc....
I'm a "seasoned" saxophone player and this video by Don Menza is TRUTH. Joe Allard and a few other notable immortals told me these things long ago, and it's a beautiful thing to hear them here - equally beautiful is hearing the demonstration of saxophone principles done so well. I've had to bear witness to charlitans thinking they know something, but you Mr. Menza have the decency, courage, experience and character to lay it down here. Thank-you.
Man, that blew me away. Best Stan Getz I've heard, and the Coleman Hawkins was awesome....you can here where Rollin's got his sound in there. Good stuff to go practice now, thanks!
Isn't it great to hear an old guy who really knows his subject, no theory just factual demonstration of how he can alter the sound through a range of famous tones. A masterclass.
I had the pleasure of doing a concert with the great Don Menza when I played with the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra in 1979. It is great to hear the master give this clinic in tone...very inspiring for all of us!!
wow. This video is amazing, cannot believe it isn't up top with the most viewed saxophone videos. As a new player, this is invaluable information, and amazing demonstration.
Don, what a monster.. I just love the fact that you are able to get so much beauty out of your horn. Maybe it's because you put that much beauty into it. You duplicate the styles of the "masters" so well. It's a joy to hear you play!
it weren’t for a late night jazz radio show broadcast from Rochester New York in 1970, my musical life would be very different. Harry Abraham was a DJ who changed my musical world. I would catch his late night radio show on the AM dial when I would drive home to Paoli Indiana from playing gigs in Ky. The music kept me awake in the wee morning hours. I was turned on to some of the greatest jazz in the world. I corresponded with Harry a few times and he recommended some great Jazz to listen. The very first record he turned me onto was Don Mensa’s First Flight.
In information and presentation, I could listen to Don Menza discuss saxophone all day. (Check out his tenor solo on "Channel One Suite" in 1968 with the Buddy Rich big band.)
This cat is an awesome musician and song writer! In 1983 I was blessed to play a gig while in college with Him, Bobby Shew, and Rich Matteson. Our director graduated from North Texas State. So cool!!
What a great lesson, the Hawkins style at the end was really something else. I love that older subtone- full tone based sound, so sweet and rich. Too bad he couldn't go into Webster's sound, that would have been great to hear.
A Great Saxophonist. A Great musician, and teacher. A pursuit in honesty. Thank you Don. These old school cats could pick up any sax, and anybody's setup and still kill it. Something in the old school that was instilled in them. Different world today.
He's right about everything he's saying. But the fact that he can just mention someone he's heard play, then go and replicate that player's style AND sound so accurately, puts him on another level. To do from Coltrane and Stan Getz to Gene Ammons, then Ben Webster, and nail it each time....
You're right, he sure did.. I listened again all the way through and my God he captured that FAT sound of Gene's Listening to him play is such a pleasure.
There speaks a man of true wisdom, a static jaw line in the real world just doesn't work ..... it should change for the circumstances ...... thats how it works in the real world !
The man was an absolute genius; musicians commented that he was a "monster" with total control of the horn. I will never forget catching in Buffalo at the Dellwood, Menza, best of the best along with Coltrane
Never saw Menza with Buddy's band, but thought he was great on the Mercy, Mercy album (Channel One, Acid Truth). Then saw him in Houston with Supersax. He was the other alto (Med Flory being lead). The whole band was great,but Menza's solos (unlike the first three albums, they had sax solos in the live performance I attended) on the Bird repertoire were indescribable. I was about 10 feet away from the front of the stage and I have never heard anything so intense and soaring.
Well, they don't get too much more knowledgeable than Don Menza. I was fortunate to see/hear him with Buddy Rich's band in '68 or 69 I think. A giant of the the instrument and a jazz master.
Does anybody have issues with reeds? Obviously sound is affected by the reed and I find that in a box of 5 reeds I might get 1 or 2 sweet reeds, any suggestions? Thanks
Good presentation. I'm picking up what you are putting down. However, I wish you would explain a little more about HOW you were doing it. Especially the "sub tone" stuff. What are you doing with your tongue and your breath to do it?
+RussellRoesner You can get sub tone if you play very close to the tip of the reed(preferably with a relaxed lower lip slightly out). Dont try it strait away on the lowest note=) Get there gradually(one note at a time chromatically). There are no secrets in the tongue and air. You will just find it yourself while trying. Good luck
There is probably a piano around when he is playing so you should have him teach you a few chords so the two of you can play music together. Or even saxophone, that would take more time but would certainly be a lot of fun. Let me know how it goes.
Don Menza is a "MONSTER" musician.. Don, you didn't mention Gene Ammons.. I know there a many "great" Tenor players, I just loved his big fat sound. I worked with you at Caesars in Vegas when you were in the house band. I remember how brilliantly you played and obviously you are still burning and helping others to do the same.
I'll tell you one master player that can't be duplicated so easily who's sound is VERY original and hard to match.... Joe Henderson. he played on a Selmer soloist D mouthpiece with only a soft strength Lavoz reed.
@teejay5962 yeah dude I know how to do the texas wobble. But that definitely isn't it. I'm talkin' about the split tone, like the growly, almost gargly sound he gets. He only does it for a split second at a time
I am trying to watch this at the dead of night turning volume up and down up and down up and down,,jesus,,!!lnd/dncjnc2nc plus your mic is under your arm..,, guess I will have to watch it in the daytime when my kids not in bed... :(
