Acoustic jazz bassist
John Menegon was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In his early professional life he worked with the reclusive electric guitarist
Sonny Greenwich, as well as saxophonists
Steve Grossman and
Pat La Barbara. Moving to New York City in the mid-'80s, he met saxophonist
Pete Yellin, the director of jazz studies at Long Island University in Brooklyn, who offered
Menegon a full scholarship to study in the jazz department. Subsequent collaborators included
Kenny Barron,
Bruce Barth,
Paul Bley,
Anthony Braxton,
Nick Brignola,
Kenny Burrell,
Jay Clayton,
Jimmy Cobb,
Jack DeJohnette,
Al Foster,
Slide Hampton,
Sheila Jordan,
Lee Konitz,
J.R. Monterose,
John Betsch, Pat McKearn, and
Adam Nussbaum. Most prominently,
Menegon was a longtime member of
the Dewey Redman Quartet in the 1990s, and in contemporary times, with the quintet of
David "Fathead" Newman, touring and performing worldwide. He has worked closely with vocalist
Teri Roiger, is involved with the cooperative
New York Trio Project featuring drummer
Jeff Siegel and guitarist
Adam Rafferty, and leads his own group with saxophonist/flutist
John Gunther, guitarist Mark Dziuba, and either
Mark McLean or
Tani Tabbal on drums.
Menegon also teaches bass and conducts workshops at SUNY/New Paltz, Bard College, Williams College in Massachusetts, and Bennington College in Vermont. As a composer, his work has been scored for modern dance, documentaries, and programs on the National Geographic and Nickelodeon television networks.
–
Michael G. Nastos, Rovi