reviews

Mike Nock’s Big Small Band Live, ABC Jazz (981 567-6)

Limelight Magazine (ABC), April 2004

Mike Nock makes a 10-piece sound like a small, supple ensemble.

By John Shand

Part of Mike Nock’s vision for this 10-piece band, which first appeared four years ago, was that it would produce music to simply make people feel good. Listen to the opening Current Reality and you will get an immediate taste of this unabashed exuberance. Out of a rampaging theme, punctuated with timbale-like bursts from Toby Hall’s drums, comes a stunning guitar solo from Cameron Deyell: mock-pensive to begin, then gathering pace to a climax of speech-like bent notes and glissandi that would bring a smile to the sternest of faces.

This is also one of four pieces to feature the irrepressible alto saxophone of Andrew Robson, an instrument that often laughs and cries simultaneously, suggesting the degree to which the barricades between emotions have always been semantic rather than concrete. Roger Manins and Matthew Ottignon (tenor saxophones), Simon Sweeney (trumpet), Dave Panichi (trombone), David Basden (tuba) and Brett Hurst (bass) complete the line-up.

As strong as the soloists are, the real star here is the way Nock’s conception and compositions keep a 10-piece band as supple and responsive as a small group. The only minor drawback is that, as strong as the master’s own playing is, he was obliged to use an electronic piano rather than a real one at the Wollongong, NSW venue where this sparkling live recording was made.