*** Bruce Gertz Quintet

DISCOVERY ZONE

(Ram)

Veteran bassist Gertz covers familiar ground without becoming predictable -- in fact, there's a lot of sustenance in these seven originals, two standards ("The Days of Wine and Roses," "My Romance"), and two postbop goodies ("Joe Henderson's "Inner Urge," Tadd Dameron's "Soultrane"). Proof that this is no mere blowing session: one of the best tunes is also one of the slowest, Gertz's "Traffic on the Bridge." This modal piece, with a loose-waltz feel, gives everyone a chance to get free without getting spacy. Tenorman Jerry Bergonzi takes gnarly Wayne Shorter-like excursions, and Gertz hones beautiful melodic lines without abandoning the "bass-ness" of his instrument. Guitarist John Abercrombie fashions detailed ornaments on the theme of "My Romance." Joey Calderazzo's extended single-note lines throughout are dizzying. And an electric-bass/drums duet (with Adam Nussbaum) is so good that you won't even notice it's a bass/drums duet.

-- Jon Garelick

(The Bruce Gertz Quintet, with Miles Donahue on tenor, Ken Cervenka on trumpet, Consuela Candelaria on piano, and Jack Diefendorf on drums, plays the Willow Jazz Club in Somerville this Friday and Saturday, December 13-14.)