Feelin' It

Anyone who has performed with Bock or witnessed such a performance knows that he is a dedicated player with a likeablility factor that loosens everyone up, making them play at the top of their game. There are few who obviously enjoy blowing bop changes with like-minded colleagues more than Bock. That's why this CD took me a bit by surprise. I noticed that Clay Giberson spent time at both the piano and the Rhodes. Bassist Tim Gilson also "went electric." But then I put on the CD and figured things out pretty quickly. Bock and his Portland friends decided to take a contemporary turn, even on standards such as "Let's Fall In Love" and "Maria" from West Side Story. This sort of approach can border on dangerous territory, but fortunately, it works quite well here. Perhaps it's due to some intriguing but far from "over the top" arrangements. Even "Bein' Green," a tune your grown up kids know better than you do, is given new and fresh attire. All respected Portland players, the sextet also includes Renato Caranto, tenor sax, John Nastos, reeds, and Christopher Brown, drums and alto sax. Aside from the above mentioned tunes, the menu is made up of original compositions by Bock and others featured here. Some, I'm told, call this "groove" music. And I'd bet that Bock's guys pull it off better than just about anyone else.