Barnes & Noble

The influx of excellent European jazz musicians continues. Tenor saxophonist Kim Bock hails from Denmark, but both his horn and his terse, compelling compositions speak with a distinctive American accent. Working with a quartet that relies on a bare-bones bass-and-drums foundation, Bock beautifully sets off both his commanding saxophone work and the impressive playing of trumpeter David Smith in an ensemble environment that, while reminiscent of the classic Ornette Coleman bands of the early '60s, carves out its own musical identity. Interaction is the name of the game; in their most evocative performances, Bock and Smith interweave their strongly melodic lines, while the stealthy support of the virtuosic bassist Adam Armstrong and drummer Peter Retzlaff offers both cohesion and a secondary level of interest. Bock and his band, a force to be reckoned with already, will no doubt evolve -- keep close tabs on them. Steve Futterman