Dave Holland

Once a Young Lion plucked from obscurity to play with Miles Davis in August 1968, today Holland’s only professional drawback is being middle-aged in an era that celebrates the youngest and the fastest. Now it is Holland who reaches out to the young bloods and over the past decade or so his groups have included some of the most impressive and advanced musicians of their generation. This new quartet is no exception. Steve Nelson on vibes was once a show-off, but has now replaced bluster with structure, while Eric Person on alto has everything except a defining personality.

Our rating

4

Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:09 pm

COMPOSERS: Dave Holland
LABELS: ECM
WORKS: Dream of the Elders
PERFORMER: Dave Holland (b); Eric Person (as, ss); Steve Nelson (vib, mar); Gene Jackson (d)
CATALOGUE NO: 529 084-2 (distr. New Note)

Once a Young Lion plucked from obscurity to play with Miles Davis in August 1968, today Holland’s only professional drawback is being middle-aged in an era that celebrates the youngest and the fastest. Now it is Holland who reaches out to the young bloods and over the past decade or so his groups have included some of the most impressive and advanced musicians of their generation. This new quartet is no exception. Steve Nelson on vibes was once a show-off, but has now replaced bluster with structure, while Eric Person on alto has everything except a defining personality. Under Holland’s sage stewardship they appear profound, with daring jaunts of imagination that, refreshingly, steer clear of the hard-bop orthodoxy that has claimed so many highly touted up-and-coming players. Stuart Nicholson

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