Mike Nock Quintet - Ozboppin' (1998)

Mike Nock has long been one of the most famous jazz musicians based in Australia, helped by the fact that he has visited the U.S. many times through the years. This CD begins with the most interesting selection, "Ozboppin'," which quickly goes from bop to Ornette Coleman, freer areas, and back to bop. Most of the other numbers alternate between melancholy ballads worthy of the mid-'60s Miles Davis Quintet to more heated numbers. Tim Hopkins on tenor recalls Wayne Shorter in spots, but has a fairly original tone, as does the talented young trumpeter Phil Slater; bassist Cameron Undy and drummer David Goodman are fine in support. With the exception of "Come Sunday" and "End of a Love Affair" (a ballad feature for Hopkins), all of the selections are Nock originals. A stimulating set of advanced hard bop. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Naxos Jazz, 86019-2, 1998
Recorded 24th & 25th January, 1998 at Sony Music Studios, Sydney, Australia 

Musicians:
Mike Nock - Piano
Phil Slater - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Tim Hopkins - Tenor Saxophone
Cameron Undy - Bass
David Goodman - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Ozboppin' {Mike Nock} (5:13)
2. The Philosophers {Mike Nock} (5:19)
3. Five'll Getcha! {Mike Nock} (7:04)
4. Exile {Mike Nock} (9:26)
5. Snafu {Mike Nock} (6:21)
6. Dreamtime Visitor {Mike Nock} (6:00)
7. Come Sunday {Duke Ellington} (4:37)
8. The Emperor's Clothes {Mike Nock} (5:12)
9. End Of A Love Affair {Edward Redding} (5:12) 

Total Time: 54:28 

Credits:
Producer - Mike Nock
Engineer - Ross A'Hearn
Editing - Tod Deeley
Artwork - David Perry
Liner Notes - Adrian Jackson 

Five'll Getcha!

Mike Nock Almanac, 1967

Mike Nock - Almanac (24/48 vinyl rip)
Improvisational Artists 1967

1) Specific Gravity One
2) Symbiosis
3) Emovations
4) Almanac
5) Hallucinogen
6) Double Split
7) J.C. Dudley

Mike Nock Piano, Cecil McBee bass, Bennie Maupin tenor sax, flutes, Eddie Marshall drums

If there is an earlier Mike Nock album, I am unaware of it. Even here this was a Band that used the name Almanac, so this may be better described as their eponymous first album rather than Mike's first as a leader. My first exposure to Nock was with Yusef Lateef and Cannonball Adderley and then the magnificent Fourth Way. This album slides right in between, on the eve of the Fourth Way, it was likely the only record on Improvisational Artists that wasn't free jazz.

The record is a modal magic carpet ride, an album boldly pointing the way to the new music of the 70's....three years earlier. The core of Nock, Cecil and Eddie is nothing short of breathtaking, As remarkable and sensitive a three-way conversation as you will ever hear. They clearly inspire young Bennie Maupin to some of his best pre-Mwandishi sextet work on record. All of the album is original and memorable music. This stuff is still fresh and exciting even 46 years later, don't miss it. 
 

Mike Nock Almanac 1967 [24/48 vinyl rip]

When you consider that this little post-bop miracle was recorded in 1967, you can't help but be impressed with how modern this music sounds. Perhaps that is why Improvising Artists, a label thoroughly devoted to free jazz, would have bought an already finished album that did not fit their profile at all. Nock and Marshall would soon be 1/2 of The Forth Way, Bennie would soon be with Miles and Herbie, and Cecil would soon be making countless superior recordings at Strata East, ECM and more. This album serves as a lovely snap-shot of a Bay Area jazz scene in the period just months before the Summer of Love.

I came across an near mint copy of this one a couple weeks ago!

Mike Nock - Dark & Curious 1990

Back a few years ago when 'bluebird' sent this one to me, he mentioned that the album title was quite appropriate and he is right, this album is a bit dark and curious. This album too seems to have been primarily a New Zealand / Australia release although I saw at least one suggestion that it may have seen a quick Naxos reissue that received some wider distribution. The other members of this quartet are all guys from NZ or Australia and it sounds like this was a working quartet; at least two of these guys show up on later Naxos releases. The reed man Tim Hopkins seems to come out of the generation of guys who are heavily influenced by Michael Brecker. If I heard this blind I would have guessed it was Brecker. I've grown more and more fond of this with each listening. If you are also taken by this one, then I would suggest getting a copy of Ozboppin', a more recent Naxos release that also features Hopkins. Thanks to 'bluebird' for another fine rarity!

Bob Mover - On The Move

Listen carefully.....hear that? The Bluebird is singing once again outside my window as this summer heat wave continues across the entire Cryptverse. Hello my old friend.

For most of us who took the original Xanadu journey, that was our initial introduction to Bob Mover. Well apparently our English Bluebird was impressed enough to seek out more and Hallelujah; this little album is a joy! Not only are we treated to the sparkling alto and soprano of Mr. Mover here, we also get lovely trumpet from Tom Harrell, typically superb piano from my man Mike Nock, fat, round bass tones from George Mraz (particularly well captured), ...need I go on?

This was Mover's first session as a leader and given the artistic success of this and the Xanadu albums as well, it is a bit hard to figure how he remained so obscure, even amongst us Jazz fans.

Mike Nock - Strata

Another Mike Nock date from 'wightdj' and at the time he sent it, I'd never even heard about this one. The album is a New Zealand release on the Kiwi label that does not appear to have seen any international distribution. In other words, not easy to find!

The record is primarily a solo effort but there is some nice percussion accompaniment on a few cuts. Nock plays some Fender Rhodes and synthesizer as well as piano on this captivating music that was written for a feature film of the same name. There is a definite mood established in this music, it's easy to imagine it accompanying a movie.

This is a rare one, don't miss it and don't forget to thank wrightdj for your good fortune in obtaining a copy of this treasure.

Mike Nock - Ondas

I'd call this one of the overlooked masterpieces of ECM. Rarely have piano trios produced such astounding conversations, this is the territory of  Evans/LaFarro/Motian or Jarrett/Haden/Higgins, hallowed ground indeed, but I have no problem elevating this album to that status. You can read Thom Jurek's ecstatic review, but first here are Mike's memories:

"Manfred wrote me a letter after hearing In Out and Around, saying he wished that album had been on ECM and telling me he wanted to make a trio recording with Gomez, Christensen and myself.
I played quite often with Gomez on recordings and tours, but never with Christensen.
The first day in the studio the trio played quite differently - free high energy jazz, which was erased before I even heard it!  I loved the session but Manfred seemed disinterested.
The next morning he got up at dawn and we began recording around 9am.  By 11am we were finished as he knew he had what he wanted.
It was a very collaborative session.  The first piece; ‘Shadows of Forgotten Love’ was on In Out and Around but Manfred had his own vision for the piece, suggesting I just play the first 16 bars and forget about the bridge section.  We finished the first take and I saw Manfred gesticulating wildly in the control room for us to continue - which we did and which you can actually hear on the recording.  It was all very spontaneous and a wonderfully unusual collaborative experience for me.
I was very much into Brazilian music and culture at the time ('Ondas' means 'waves' in Portuguese) but interestingly enough I came up with the title while on one of my frequent visits to Nelson NZ, situated on Golden Bay.
Manfred loved the title, as apart from the sound of the word it also had a somewhat enigmatic quality, as he felt very few people would know what it actually meant".
Mike Nock - September 15, 2010

Mike Nock celebrated his 70th birthday on September 27, 2010.

I've got to say that I mourn that first session that Manfred erased so preemptively, how nice would it be to have a companion album with a completely different feel?

Mike Nock - Succubus

 An odd little chapter in Nock's albums, as evidenced by the cover that would have you expecting some Goth-Metal band or other such, but this 1980 release on Sutra Records was relatively mainstream jazz for the time. At the end of the day the album attempts to straddle too many fences to be much more than interesting for me, but if you are a big fan of later Weather Report then I'm guessing you may well love this.

This rip comes from a young Swedish guy named Gustav, who posted it a few years back.

Mike Nock - Piano Solos 1978

More brilliant solo work from one of my favorite piano players. There is a sparkle to Nock's solo playing that I find irresistible, he is a painter, a poet, as good as any of his peers at this art-form (solo piano).

This first ran at the old Crypt some 4 years ago and it came then as a gift from wrightdj.

John Handy - Projections

This is, in fact, a continuation of my little Mike Nock series, albeit he is not the leader here. 

I will confess up front that my primary motivation here is to find a nice lossless copy from one of you fine readers, failing that I may have to hunt one down myself because this is one damn fine album. For that matter, I believe there is a Mosaic set with all the Columbia recordings....anyone?? 

As you are carried away on this magic carpet ride, do please consider that this music was played 1967-68! WHEW!

"The third of altoist John Handy's three superb Columbia studio albums finds him fronting a quintet comprised of violinist Michael White, pianist Mike Nock, bassist Bruce Cale and drummer Larry Hancock. The talented group plays four originals by Handy, three by Nock and one from White. The music (much more concise in general than on the previous two Columbias) contains plenty of surprises and is difficult to categorize (somewhere between the avant-garde and hard bop), although it does not reach the same heights as New View." AMG

Mike Nock - Talisman

Mike Nock - Talisman
Inner City Records 1978 (Enja)

It has been four years since this one made an appearance at the old crypt.

A beautiful solo outing from 1978,  courtesy of 'wightdj'. Not only a lovely album but a great cover too. I could listen to Mike Nock play solo piano all day, he just carries me away. The opening song, Sunrise, very much captures the magic of a sunrise. Apparently Mike sat down in the studio and created this album in a day. The album consists of mostly originals but the covers are great songs too: In Your Own Sweet Way and Black is the Color. Take the time to read the back cover (the resolution is really good); it tells the tale of Mike moving to San Francisco with John Handy in the Summer of Love and staying at the Garage of Kesey's Merry Pranksters. Some parties and recreational drugs down the road Mike quit Handy's band, discovered Gurdjieff, and founded The Fourth Way. The year Mike left SF, 1975, is the year I first arrived there. Damn! Just missed him!

The Fourth Way

This mp3 copy of the first Fourth Way album (and the only studio album)
 is the only time I have ever encountered the album and I sheepishly admit that I haven't the faintest idea where it was that I found it.

This band is always known as an ensemble but there is no doubt here on the first offering that this is Mike Nock's brainchild, he is the sole author on every tune. I can imagine walking through The Haight in 1968, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead and Quicksilver in the park but you go walking the other direction and happen upon a small club with these guys offering the jazz response to The Summer of Love.

Compared to the two live albums that followed this one is relatively tame, but for me to hear this deepens my appreciation of what follows.

Now if someone were to come up with a fresh lossless rip.....

The Fourth Way

That's right, you are looking at the original and only studio album made by this seminal jazz fusion band. Looking through the album credits it gives you the impression that Mike Nock was the de-facto leader in that he wrote seven of the eight compositions (Michael White wrote Dance of the Mechanical Men). This album is not anywhere near as spacey as the two live albums to follow which, oddly enough, makes it the least dated sounding of the three albums they produced. What you hear on this album is a quartet of accomplished musicians exploring fresh new frontiers in music. Being the late 60's, early 70's there is the seemingly required spiritual path reference, in this case the writings on Sufi philosophy of G.I. Gurdjieff and P.D. Ouspensky. Given that the band was based out of San Francisco I guess you could say this was a 'hippie jazz' group - lots of hippies, myself included, dug this band. Even my friends who were bored to tears with most of my music dug these guys. One reason may be that they kept Ron McClure and Eddie Marshall way up forward in the mix and even rock fans could tell that they were beasts.

The Fourth Way
Capitol Records 1969

1) Everyman's Your Brother
2) Clouds
3) Sparky
4) Bucklehuggin
5) Openings
6) Gemini Trajectory
7) Dance of the Mechanical Men
8) The Sybil

John Handy Concert Ensemble - Projections 1968

This was posted at the old Crypt some 3 years back, it was a contribution from grumpy long before he was an author here and he tells me it came an ancient down load from before the blogging era. It also represents the next step in revisiting the career of Mike Nock.

The Sixties were a great era for John Handy, from his historic 1965 appearance at Monterey on, he rocked the jazz world with a series of terrific and inventive albums.
On this album he has both Michael White and Mike Nock who would shortly leave to form The Fourth Way. The music dances on the edge of free jazz without ever fully crossing over, I would put in the spiritual jazz category if you needed a label for it but mostly it is just great music. The compositions are all originals by members of the ensemble and even today it maintains a wonderful freshness. Sadly Handy would never achieve the level of popularity and recognition he deserved despite having a crossover hit in the 70's with 'Hard Work'. Even today as a jazz educator at San Francisco State he remains criminally under recognized outside of the Bay Area.