Steve Holt: Impact

To create a new album after a twenty-year gap is intriguing. In his long career Steve Holt has worked with Archie Shepp, Larry Coryell Eddie Henderson, Pat LaBarbera, James Moody and Michel Urbaniak. He studied with Kenny Barron, an experience that affected his keyboard style.

Surrounding himself with some major Canadian musicians, he has produced some new vital work: a library of new themes for the group to work on. The main task of a composer is to create defined musical shapes so that the musicians will be inspired to create a defined identity that will set them free.

The accompanying album notes describe the music as a performance of "straight-ahead jazz." "Second Voyage," the second tune on the disc, well deserves the appellation straight-ahead. Steve Holt's piano is assertive, but there is little in the pieces to hint at what his group is capable of.

"Lalita's Waltz" breaks away from the straight-ahead label. It is a fine melody and trumpeter Kevin Turcotte seizes on the theme to decorate it with some beautiful phrases. His deliberate hesitance adds qualities that deepen his improvisation and hints at profundity. The flugelhorn playing of Kevin Turcotte is a delight. The motifs that Turcotte creates in his improvisations lend importance to his playing, imbuing it with intriguing qualities. His front-line partner, saxophonist Perry White , has a tone that is fulsome with a husky beauty.

Perry White moved across the vast continent from Vancouver to Toronto. His playing on the numerous tracks exploits his individual sound. It would be good to hear him stretch out at greater length.

Terry Clarke's drums open "The Unveiling" and provide a driving, exuberant background to the front line as they unspool the melody. The assertive sound of Perry White is underscored by the bass of English-born Duncan Hopkins. which gives the group resonance and depth. His brief solo on "The Lion's Eyes" has a very effective yearning quality.

"The Lion's Eyes" is an effective theme written by Holt and dedicated to his father. You sense that Steve Holt holds his soloists too long on the theme instead of liberating to fly free. Turcotte and White are very creative and need more space.

Another effective melody is "Tender Tears," a composition by Larry Coryell. Perry White has a solo that he unwinds gracefully. Kevin Turcotte joins for what is almost a conversation or duet..

Steve Holt, in his notes, says that he loves composing and he has written six of the nine pieces. He writes effective melodies; the slower they are, the more effective they are. He is fortunate to be working with some very effective players who all require more space to fully express their creativity.

Finally, Steve Holt plays the Canadian national anthem in a heart-seizing way. Holt refrains from any inappropriate syncopated embellishment but allows the melody and its sentiments in full patriotic grandeur.

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