Rose

- Don Menza, 83 years of age, is still going strong

- After a couple of weeks on tour, the quartet went straight to the studio and recorded The Rose is recorded within four hours!

- Don Menza's debut on Challenge Records

Dr. Kristina Nikolic: "Even though I follow Don Menza whenever he is on tour in Europe and have witnessed the magic of his concerts countless times, never have I believed that recording an album could be such a relaxing, loving and seemingly effortless occasion. After a couple of weeks on the road, this quartet managed once again (in less than four hours) to preserve on tape what they had been doing together on the bandstand for many years: playing jazz that will touch any soul that is willing to listen. Together with Oliver Kent, Johannes Strasser and Bernd Reiter, all amazing musicians themselves, a self-confessed hopeless romantic Don Menza succeeded, with exceptional honesty, to record eight songs which reflect his beliefs. In this age of Jazz where the brain is often more important than the heart, this album stands out for its ability to break your heart, make you laugh, make you feel cool, brave, to energize and inspire you."

(from: liner notes The Rose)