Following the success of Third Eye, RAM Records commissioned Gertz to record another album with his quintet, which became Discovery Zone. This album received 5 stars in Downbeat Magazine. Gertz plays electric bass guitar on three of the tracks, drawing influence from by Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, and Jack Bruce. The "5et" features John Abercrombie (guitar), Jerry Bergonzi (saxophone), Joey Calderazzo (piano), Adam Nussbaum (drums), and Bruce Gertz (bass). The 11 tracks include five standards, and six Gertz originals.