The Dave Holland New Quartet at the 2024 SFJAZZ Summer Festival

The Dave Holland New Quartet
SFJAZZ Center
Summer Festival
San Francisco, CA
May 27, 2024

Last night, Dave Holland completed a four-day residency at SFJAZZ Center in the heart of San Francisco's Hayes Valley district. His Friday night performance showcased the exceptional talent of the current members of The Dave Holland New Quartet: the brilliant pianist Kris Davis, the blazing alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, the dynamic drummer Nasheet Waits, and of course, Holland himself—a renowned bassist, composer, bandleader, and educator.

The quartet's music was captivatingly abstract and enriching, with a modal rather than melodic quality that transcended popular mainstream jazz. Although the group used modes that might have initially bewildered some listeners—"Where is this coming from?"—the delivery was crystalline and impactful, inducing a state of visual imagery for this listener. The quartet's effortless interplay and collective mastery were hypnotic, transporting many in the audience into unknown but delightful territories—astral traveling on a sublime carpet—and yet, still grooving and tight.

Pianist Kris Davis's impeccable technique exhibited a unique independence in her playing. Each hand seemed to have its own mind, often creating the illusion of two musicians playing simultaneously. For one tune, she even experimented with an unconventional method of inserting felt pads between strings to create a noticeable 'plinking' effect.

Jaleel Shaw was a marvel on his saxophone. His energetic playing showed him to be an ardent and gifted disciple of the magisterial Wayne Shorter—yet supremely with his unique voice. He managed to produce that fiery "Shorteresque" tone from his instrument. He is a force to be reckoned with.

Nasheet Waits is, well, Nasheet Waits!—an energetic drummer who is always in the right place at the right time and plays with funky abandon. He made magnificent use of his K-Zildjian cymbals to produce a distinctive tonality.

And there is the inimitable Dave Holland in a class all his own. An elegant yet humble master of space, tone, and instrument (a unique-design shortened-body acoustic standup bass, his music lies somewhere between disciplined postmodernism and free jazz.

He occasionally employs slides on his fingerboard to a singular, almost startling glissando effect.

In his pleasant British manner, Holland unapologetically announced at the beginning of the set that there would be no announcements between numbers. They came here to play music—and that's precisely what they did. It was a relief not to have the perfunctory transitional talk and introductions between pieces.

The quartet's music was a powerful force that enveloped the audience, leaving a profound and unforgettable impression. The disciplined, modern sound washed over those present in a soul-cleansing and transformative way. It was a performance filled with many treasures and bright moments.