Mike Nock

Biography

New Zealand born pianist/composer Mike Nock is one of the acknowledged masters of jazz in Australasia.

Mike's reputation rests partly on his imposing international experience which includes some twenty-five years working in the USA with many of the world's top jazz musicians such as: Coleman Hawkins, Yusef Lateef, Dionne Warwick, and Michael Brecker, to name a few. He was the leader of the 1960's seminal jazz-rock group "The Fourth Way." He also has a large catalogue of critically acclaimed, internationally released recordings, and a substantial body of original compositions in print and on recordings.

His compositions have been commissioned and performed by such as the Cleveland Chamber Symphony (USA), Australian Chamber Orchestra, Synergy, Melbourne Windpower, Ensemble 24, The New Zealand String Quartet, Dunedin Civic Orchestra (NZ) and Umo Jazz Orchestra (Finland).

Since returning to Australia in 1985, his groups have conducted extensive tours of Europe, Asia, USA, and Canada, as well as touring regularly throughout Australia and New Zealand.

In 1983 he hosted his own series on TVNZ "Nock On Jazz" and in 1993 was the subject of a TVNZ documentary made on his life and music. Due to his vast recording accomplishments, touring and mentoring of a new generation of musicians, Mike Nock has become thoroughly recognized in both the United States and abroad for his abilities.

"A Jazz Film"
This atmospheric and beautifully edited film flows between Nock's New Zealand childhood, his return home, his career in New York and his present life in Sydney. Nock knows the strength of conviction and passion it takes to pursue a jazz career here or in New York but he is an easy and humorous travel companion for the viewer as the program cuts back and forth between New York, Australia and New Zealand with his music featured as an expressive soundtrack in both solo settings and with his young Sydney-based band.

Discography

As leader

• Almanac ( Improvising Artists, 1967) with Bennie Maupin / Cecil McBee / Eddie Marshall.
• Between Or Beyond (BASF, 1970)
• Magic Mansions (Laurie, 1977) with Charlie Mariano / Al Foster/ Ron McLure.
• In, Out and Around (Timeless, 1978) with Michael Brecker / Al Foster / George Mraz.
• Climbing (Tomato, 1979) with Tom Harrell / John Abercrombie / David Friesen / Al Foster.
• Talisman (Inner City, 1979) Solo
• Succubus (Sutra, 1980) with Alex Foster ( saxophone ) / Ratso Harris /Tom Rainey.
• Ondas (ECM, 1981) with Eddie Gomez / Jon Christensen.
• Strata (Kiwi/Pacific, 1983) Solo (soundtrack)
• Open Door (Ode, 1987) with Frank Gibson, Jr.
• Beautiful Friendship (Ode, 1989) with Paul Dyne / Roger Sellers.
• Dark and Curious (Verabra, 1990) with Tim Hopkins / Cameron Undy / Andrew Dickeson
• Touch (Birdland, 1993) Solo
• Not We But One (Naxos Jazz, 1996) with Anthony Cox / Tony Reedus.
• The Opal Heart (Enja, 1997) with Ed Soph /Dave Liebman / Ron McClure.
• Ozboppin (Naxos Jazz, 1998) with Phil Slater / Tim Hopkins / Cameron Undy / David Goodman.
• The Waiting Game (Naxos Jazz, 1999) with Marty Ehrlich.
• "Live" Mike Nock's BigSmallBand ( ABC Jazz 2002 ) Andrew Robson/Roger Manins/Matt Ottignon/Simon Sweeney/Dave Panichi/David Basden/Cameron Deyell/Toby Hall/Brett Hirst.
• Changing Seasons (DIW, 2003) with Brett Hirst / Toby Hall.
• Duologue (Birdland, 2004) Live concert recording with Dave Liebman.
• Meeting of the Waters (Jazzhead Oz, 2008) The Mike Nock Project / Steve Magnusson/Julien Wilson/Tim Wilson/James Greening/Eugene Ball/Dale Gorfinkle/Toby Hall/Brett Hirst.
• "Andrew Klippel Compositions 1980-1983 - the Mike Nock Trio" ( AKP0001 ) Mike Nock/ James Waples / Brett Hirst.
• "An Accumulation Of Subtleties ( FWM 001, 2010 ) The Mike Nock Trio - with James Waples / Ben Waples.
• "Hear and Know" ( FWM 002, 2011 ) Mike Nock Trio Plus - James Waples/ Ben Waples / Karl Laskowski ten sax / Ken Allars tpt.
• "Transformations" ( CD MANU5129 ) Mike Nock with The New Zealand String Quartet - Colin Hemmingsen/Nick Tipping/ John Rae.
• "Kindred" ( FWM 003, 2012 ) Mike Nock piano / Laurenz Pike drum kit.

As sideman

With John Klemmer

• Waterfalls (Impulse ) 1972)
• Magic and Movement (Impulse!, 1974)

With Yusef Lateef

• "Live at Peps" ( Impulse GRP 11342 rec 1964 )
• Club Date" (Impulse UCCI -9234 rec 1964 )
• "Live at Peps Volume 2" ( Impulse 547 961 2 rec 1964 )
• "1984" ( Impulse MVC J-19154 rec 1965 )

With The FOURTH WAY ( Michael White/Eddie Marshall/ Ron McLure )

• "The Fourth Way" ( TOCJ-50258 - Capitol - EMI ) rec 1969.
• "WEREWOLF" ( TOCJ-50264 - Harvest - EMI ) rec 1970.
• "The Sun and Moon Have Come Together" - Take 5 - 35014 rec 1070 .