Don Menza

 ( 1936 Births ) 

In 2005, Menza was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.

Menza wrote two of the charts played by the Buddy Rich Band: "Time Check" and "Groovin' Hard".

• Morning Song (SABA, 1966)
• First Flight (Catalyst, 1977)
• Horn of Plenty (Discwasher, 1979)
• Burnin (M&K, 1981)
• Hip Pocket (Palo Alto, 1982)
• Ballads with Frank Strazzeri (Fresh Sound, 1987)
• Live at Claudios with Pete Magadini (Sackville, 1991)
• Bilein with Joe Haider (JHM, 1998)
• Dream Suite (Corsaro, 2002)
• Jack Rabbitt with John Bacon, Bobby Jones (Cadence, 2004)
• Menza Lines (Jazzed Media, 2005)
• Voyage with SWR Big Band (Hanssler/SWR, 2006)
• Very Live at Groovy (Artie Music, 2008)
• Forget the Woman (Pro Jazz, 2011)

• Louie Rides Again! (Percussion Power 1974)
• The Louis Bellson Explosion (Pablo, 1975)
• Sunshine Rock (Pablo, 1978)
• Note Smoking (Discwasher, 1978)
• Matterhorn (Pablo, 1979)
• Dynamite! (Concord Jazz, 1980)
• Side Track (Concord Jazz, 1981)
• Louis Bellson and Explosion (Pausa, 1984)
• Live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase (Concord Jazz, 1988)
• Hot (Musicmasters, 1988)
• East Side Suite (Musicmasters, 1989)
• Airmail Special (Musicmasters, 1990)
• Jazz Giants (Musicmasters, 1990)

With Les DeMerle

• Concerts by the Sea (Bar T, 1978)
• Transcendental Watusi! (United National, 1979)
• On Fire (Palo Alto, 1983)

With Neil Diamond

• Tap Root Manuscript (UNI, 1970)
• Beautiful Noise (Columbia, 1976)
• In My Lifetime (Columbia, 1996)

With Maynard Ferguson

• Straightaway Jazz Themes (Roulette, 1961)
• Si! Si! M.F. (Roulette, 1962)
• Maynard '62 (Roulette, 1962)
• A Message from Maynard (Roulette, 1963)
• The World of Maynard Ferguson (Roulette, 1964)

With others

• Cannonball Adderley, Big Man: The Legend of John Henry (Fantasy, 1975)
• Karen Alexander, Isn't It Always Love (Asylum, 1975)
• Paul Anka, The Music Man (United Artists, 1977)
• Benny Bailey, The Balkan in My Soul (SABA, 1968)
• Bill Berry, Hello Rev (Concord Jazz, 1976)
• Pat Boone, In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy (Hip-O 1997)
• Kenny Burrell, Heritage (AudioSource, 1980)
• Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bad for Me (Elektra, 1979)
• Glen Campbell, Rhinestone Cowboy (Capitol, 1975)
• Larry Carlton, Friends (Warner Bros., 1983)
• Pete Christlieb, For Heaven's Sake (CARS 1999)
• Eugen Cicero, Eugen Cicero Quintett (Metronome, 1968)
• Stanley Clarke, Let Me Know You (Epic 1982)
• Leonard Cohen, Death of a Ladies' Man (Columbia, 1977)
• Natalie Cole, Unforgettable with Love (Elektra, 1991)
• Michel Colombier, Wings (A&M, 1971)
• Rita Coolidge, Rita Coolidge (A&M, 1971)
• Mike Deasy, Letters to My Head (Capitol, 1973)
• Dion DiMucci, Born to Be with You (Collectables, 2010)
• Ned Doheny, Ned Doheny (Asylum, 1973)
• Ned Doheny, Hard Candy (Columbia, 1976)
• João Donato, A Bad Donato (Blue Thumb, 1970)
• Andrew Gold, What's Wrong with This Picture? (Asylum, 1976)
• Dave Grusin, Havana (GRP, 1990)
• John Lee Hooker, Born in Mississippi, Raised Up in Tennessee (ABC, 1973)
• Gloria Jones, Share My Love (Motown, 1973)
• Phil Keaggy, Love Broke Thru (New Song, 1976)
• John Klemmer, Constant Throb (Impulse!, 1972)
• Stan Kenton, Adventures in Time: A Concerto for Orchestra (Capitol, 1962)
• Claudia Lennear, Phew! (Warner Bros., 1973)
• Gloria Lynne, A Very Gentle Sound (Mercury, 1972)
• Henry Mancini, Hangin' Out (RCA Victor, 1974)
• Albert Mangelsdorff, Mainhattan Modern Lost Jazz Files (Sonorama, 2015)
• The Manhattan Transfer, Pastiche (Atlantic, 1978)
• Sergio Mendes, Homecooking (Elektra, 1976)
• Sergio Mendes, Brasil '88 (Elektra, 1978)
• Shawn Phillips, Do You Wonder (A&M, 1975)
• Walter Murphy, Discosymphony (New York, 1979)
• Walter Murphy, Rhapsody in Blue (Private Stock 1977)
• Michael Omartian, White Horse (ABC/Dunhill, 1974)
• Michael Omartian, Adam Again (Myrrh, 1977)
• Barry Mann, Barry Mann (Casablanca, 1980)
• Gayle McCormick, Flesh & Blood (Decca, 1972)
• Carmen McRae, Can't Hide Love (Blue Note, 1976)
• Barry McGuire, Seeds (Myrrh, 1973)
• Gil Melle, The Sentinel (La-La Land, 2019)
• Bette Midler, Broken Blossom (Atlantic, 1977)
• Hugo Montenegro, Others by Brothers (RCA Victor, 1975)
• Hugo Montenegro, Rocket Man (RCA 1975)
• Alphonse Mouzon, Angel Face (Tenacious, 2011)
• Maria Muldaur, Southern Winds (Warner Bros., 1978)
• Tom Pacheco, Swallowed Up in the Great American Heartland (RCA Victor, 1976)
• Dolly Parton, The Great Pretender (RCA Victor, 1984)
• Basil Poledouris, Amerika (Prometheus, 2004)
• Tito Puente, Special Delivery (Concord Jazz, 1996)
• Quicksilver Messenger Service, Comin' Thru (Capitol, 1972)
• Lou Rawls, Love All Your Blues Away (Epic, 1986)
• Helen Reddy, Music, Music (Capitol, 1976)
• Dianne Reeves, The Palo Alto Sessions 1981–1985 (Blue Note, 1996)
• Buddy Rich, Mercy, Mercy (World Pacific, 1968)
• The Righteous Brothers, The Sons of Mrs. Righteous (Haven/Capitol, 1975)
• Dick Rosmini, A Genuine Rosmini (Imperial, 1969)
• Ronnie Ross, Unforgettable Ronnie Ross (INMUS, 2000)
• Pete Rugolo, This World, Then the Fireworks (Varese Sarabande, 1997)
• Moacir Santos, Maestro (Blue Note, 1972)
• Moacir Santos, Carnival of the Spirits (Blue Note, 1975)
• Boz Scaggs, Down Two Then Left (Columbia, 1977)
• Diane Schuur, In Tribute (GRP, 1992)
• Lalo Schifrin, Gypsies (Tabu, 1978)
• Neil Sedaka, Laughter in the Rain (Polydor, 1974)
• Neil Sedaka, Sedaka's Back (Rocket, 1974)
• Seals & Crofts, Takin' It Easy (Warner Bros., 1978)
• Keely Smith, Keely Sings Sinatra (Concord Jazz, 2001)
• JD Souther, Black Rose (Asylum, 1976)
• Frank Strazzeri, Taurus (Revelation, 1973)
• Frank Strazzeri, Frames (Glendale, 1975)
• Donna Summer, Live and More (Casablanca, 1978)
• Supersax, Dynamite !! (MPS, 1979)
• Supersax, Chasin' the Bird (MPS, 1984)
• Dan Terry, Lonely Place (Happy Tiger 1969)
• Toto, Kingdom of Desire (CBS/Sony 1992)
• Narada Michael Walden, Awakening (Atlantic, 1979)
• Lenny Williams, Love Current (MCA, 1979)
• Jimmy Witherspoon, Spoonful (Blue Note, 1975)

• Review of Menza Lines at All About Jazz
• Don Menza Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2018)