Bruce Gertz Quintet - Octopus Dreams (2025)

Nobody’s fighting for space or trying to prove anything—they just play. It’s the kind of album that makes you want to hear what this quintet might do next.

Octopus Dreams is what happens when five musicians who clearly listen to each other play Bruce Gertz’s music. The bassist has written seven tunes that sound like they were made for this particular quintet—they fit like a glove, with enough substance to keep the band and listeners enthralled.

Gertz’s clever composition, ‘Power Walk,’ stacks sophisticated harmonies on top of chord progressions borrowed from Sonny Rollins ’’Jada’ and ‘Doxy.’ What could have slipped into an academic exercise instead becomes a lively opener, with emphatic bass lines propelling tight unison horn work. Phil Grenadier’s trumpet solo jumps out immediately with an open, crystal-clear tone, matched by tenor saxophonist Rick DiMuzio, whose warm, confident lines round out the exchange.

The title track shifts the mood entirely. ‘Octopus Dreams’ shows just how much beauty this band can pull off. Piano, bass, and drums set a meditative mood until the horns slide in together. Grenadier switches to flugelhorn, keeping things conversational rather than falling into the trumpet trap of higher, faster, louder. Schachnik’s piano is elegant throughout, moving gracefully from full chords into quick, singing runs, while Fieldman’s drumming stays subtle and supportive, quietly anchoring the piece.

‘Sea Worthy,’ the album’s longest track, gives each musician plenty of space. Gertz’s flexibility and the resonance he achieves in the upper register are impressive, while DiMuzio’s tenor has that searching, melancholy quality that pulls you in. Grenadier’s trumpet solo develops more force, but never loses the melodic thread.

The sublime unison horns of ‘Mr. Z’ showcase Grenadier’s trumpet at its most commanding, with extended high notes while DiMuzio’s tenor weaves around him with that inquisitive cool-school tone. When Schachnik takes his piano solo, he shifts gears—flurries of notes and harder attacks on the keys that show a more forceful bluesy side of his playing.

The album picks up steam with ‘I’m Busy.’ The trumpet sets the theme with the sax right on his tail. Gertz’s walking bass lines push the music forward until he starts trading solo spots with Grenadier and DiMuzio, then bringing everyone back together to wrap things up.

What makes Octopus Dreams work is that Gertz knows how to write for these particular musicians. Grenadier’s trumpet doesn’t have to dominate to be heard, DiMuzio’s tenor gets room to develop those searching lines, and Schachnik can shift between elegant accompaniment and forceful solos as the music demands. Nobody’s fighting for space or trying to prove anything—they just play. It’s the kind of album that makes you want to hear what this quintet might do next.~ By Tim Larsen

Bruce Gertz – Composer, Bass; Phil Grenadier – Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Rick DiMuzio – Tenor Saxophone; Gison Schachnik – Piano; Gary Fieldman – Drums