Jazz Articles about Dave Holland

About Dave Holland

Album Review

Originally released in 1995 on the Postcards label, now owned by Arkadia Records, Dedications is pianist-composer Alan Pasqua's second release for the label which followed the critically acclaimed Milagro. On Dedications, Pasqua reaps the benefits of an all-star supporting cast which includes the mighty rhythm section of drummer Paul Motian and bassist Dave Holland. Pasqua, along with the talented horns of Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker and Gary Bartz, offers a generous mix whether performing in piano trio mode or utilizing ...

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Album Review

Charles Lloyd: Voice in the Night

Read "Voice in the Night" reviewed by Larry Koenigsberg

by Larry Koenigsberg
May 1, 1999

Although Voice in the Night marks Charles Lloyd's return after over three decades to recording with guitar rather than piano as the chordal instrument, the most notable feature of his new CD is his return to form, as opposed to merely a return to format. He sounds the best he has since he left his Big Sur retreat to perform and record for ECM with Michel Petrucciani and Bobo Stenson. Indeed, the whole band sounds on, in this sequence of ...

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Album Review

Charles Lloyd: Voice In The Night

Read "Voice In The Night" reviewed by Douglas Payne

by Douglas Payne
April 1, 1999

Voice in the Night is a welcome homecoming for reedman Charles Lloyd. He hasn't recorded in a guitar-based group since his two tremendously underrated (and rockish) albums for A&M in 1972-73. Here, he also pleasingly revisits a good deal of his earlier (and still his most personable) material: “Forest Flower," from the famed quartet days of the late 60s, “Voice in the Night" and in the “Pocket Full of Blues" medley, “Island Blues" and “Little Sister's Dance."With the ...

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Album Review

Anouar Brahem: Thimar

Read "Thimar" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
February 1, 1999

The oud is an ancient short-necked, plucked Arabic instrument. On Thimar, East meets West with oud instrumentalist Anouar Brahem along with jazz masters, saxophonist/bass clarinetist John Surman and bassist Dave Holland. The opener, “Badhra," commences with Surman's light as a feather soprano work while Holland and Brahem successively join the festivities as if they were doing one of those “let's introduce the band" exercises. “Taiwin" leans toward the Arabic end of the spectrum as Holland and Brahem perform Middle Eastern ...

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Album Review

Anouar Brahem: Thimar

Read "Thimar" reviewed by Larry Koenigsberg

by Larry Koenigsberg
January 1, 1999

Once again ECM expands the boundaries of jazz. This brings up the question of whether this music is jazz, and purists would argue that it's not: no blues, no standards, no drums. Why not go all the way and decry the absence of banjo and tuba? The fact is that there are elements of jazz here, including group improvisation, rhythmic propulsion, and two established jazz players, Surman and Holland. But the listener who appreciates this release will be someone who ...

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Album Review

Dave Holland: Points of View

Read "Points of View" reviewed by Douglas Payne

by Douglas Payne
December 1, 1998

British bassist and jazz veteran Dave Holland (b. 1946) has refashioned his ever iconoclastic quintet to feature Steve Wilson's sax and Robin Eubank's trombone interacting with former Quintet partner Steve Nelson's pianistic vibes and Billy Kilson's aggressively sensitive drumming.Holland cites the guiding influence of Duke Ellington in his Points of View. And while there is something starkly modern -- even unique -- in the bassist/composer's conceptions, there really is evidence that the great Ellington has inspired ...

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Album Review

Dave Holland: Points of View

Read "Points of View" reviewed by Larry Koenigsberg

by Larry Koenigsberg
December 1, 1998

The eight compositions which make up Points of View are so varied that this in itself becomes a hallmark of Dave Holland's style here. Consistency instead comes from the interaction of the players, whom Holland's arrangements give ensemble roles during each other's solos; from the unusual instrumentation, used both for frank exoticism ("Bedouin Trail", “Serenade") and to leaven more traditional compositions with surprise. The soloists are imaginative, and swinging on those tunes where swing is part of the picture. Holland ...