reviews

Mike Nock’s Big Small Band – Live
ABC Jazz 981 567- 6

Canberra Times Monday March 22 2004

Review by Michael Foster

Those who enjoy big bands in different colours and textures will want to at least hear this concert, unless they prefer to a course of known likings and belief in favoured musicians.

Nock experimented before settling on this perhaps unexpected line-up. Playing electric piano, Nock leads Andrew Robson (one of Canberra’s best recognized graduates) on alto, Roger Manins, tenor saxophone and bass clarinet, Matthew Ottignon, tenor and flute, Simon Sweeney, trumpet, Dave Panichi, trombone, David Basden, tuba, Cameron Deyell, guitar, Brett Hurst, bass and Toby Hall, drums. Even with most of these leaders in their own right there is no evidence of anything but unity in the vigor of attack on the music.

Typically and enigmatically Nockish, it finds inspiration across a wide spectrum. Often the memory banks go into overdrive trying to recognize a modern expression from a long ago source. All but one of the eight compositions are Nock’s. His ultimate compliment is to another great Australian pianist, Andrea Keller, whose Three Portraits of a Simpleton is the fifth track.