Customer Reviews

What Goes Around

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dave Holland's quintet is recognized in many quarters as the premiere modern jazz band--though not without a counterargument from skeptics who find it too slick & well-oiled an engine. This quintet--featuring Robin Eubanks on trombone, Chris Potter on saxophone, Steve Nelson on vibes, Billy Kilson on drums--is the core of the 13-piece ensemble on _What Goes Around_, Holland's first big-band album as a leader. (Is it a big band? It says so on the cover, but at 13 musicians this is more of a mid-size ensemble perhaps. Certainly the "feel" of the music is still very much like a small group, without the weight--or, fortunately, the blare--of a full-size band.) The material is familiar from the bassist's small-group records; Holland writes all the arrangements, which are capable though not at the level of the best contemporary arrangers like Kenny Wheeler or Maria Schneider. The playing is all at a high level, as you'd expect, though I find it hard to warm to Antonio Hart & Chris Potter, both of them soloists who could stand to back off a bit--Potter in particular is always such a pushy, self-consciously "hot" soloist, inclined to step into the false register as a matter of course. Trumpeter Alex Siapagin does a few nice turns in a vein halfway between Wheeler & Woody Shaw, possibly in response to Holland's charts on "Upswing" & "First Snow", which contain echoes of those musicians' work.

This album caused quite a splash when it was released in 2002; I'm not entirely sure why, as while it's a nice enough release it's not outstanding by any means. As it happens the best big-band disc I heard in 2002 was actually Carl Saunders' _Be Bop Big Band_: a bunch of largely unheralded veterans of West Coast big bands, performing exceptionally fine charts by Herb Phillips. By comparison this album may have the big names on it but they haven't got the depth of involvement & experience in big bands that Saunders' bunch have. Holland has, however, continued to work in the big band format, so perhaps he'll raise his game a bit on a sequel.

I first heard the Dave Big Band play at the University of Massachusetts where our jazz band got a clinic from Robin Eubanks, lead trombonist, during the jazz festival activities. That definitely was the best concert i've ever been to and decided to get the CD and the CD is just as great as the concert was. This music is some very serious stuff. It's feels like they're taking me on a journey to some far out place. It's very cool and interesting

Is Dave Holland the best British Jazz composer? I certainly can't think of a better one.

I can't praise this CD enough. Dave Hollands quintet has always sounded to me like a larger group, such is the depth of the arrangements. So the question was, could he pull it off with a real Big Band? The answer is a resounding Yes. The arrangements are top class, the musicianship superb and the compositions brilliant. The music has that distinctive Dave Holland signature, with Mingus influences and a pinch of Ellington.

This CD is MUST for everyone who loves great music.

I hope this band are planning to cross the big pond soon.

This album is fiercly provocative and showcases the immense talent of Holland as a leader/composer of big band music. All members of his latest quintet are present here and provide nearly all of the soloing work on the tunes while supporting muscicians lay down a complex yet wonderfully lyrical, hard hitting backbone. With its big band punch, the album reminds the listener of the good old days when jazz was cool, but the solos (mostly Chris Potter on tenor sax) are as wild and fresh as any jazz fan could hope for in a 21st century release. Holland is not afraid to take the listener on furious rollercoster ride of compositional work on tunes like "Triple Dance" and "What Goes Around" but also sets a calming mood on "First snow". This CD hasn't left my stereo in weeks. It's just that good. If you like Holland's work, then buy it. Serious jazz fans only.

It's not that I don't like the Dave Holland Quintet; Prime Directive is a personal favorite. I think this CD is a little overrated. DHQ gets so much praise for using strange time meters instead of the tired old 4/4 and it works so well on the Quintet recordings, but on a big band recording I keep waiting for the big group to fall in and really start swinging in the Ellington way. This big band does manage to get the Mingus group improv thing, but I don't think comparisons to Ellington's sound is right. To me it sounds a lot like a DHQ recording but with three of each horn instead of one-- lacking any real sound texture through arrangements that Ellington and Gil Evans did so well. I keep trying, but I just can't seem to love this CD.

When I first saw the promo for this on the ECM site, I thought: "Oh no, just a rehashing of previous tunes in a big-band format?" Boy, was I wrong. This is yet another stellar album by one of the most talented musicians around (certainly my all-time favorite bassist). Dave has a knack for attracting very talented players, and the entire group plays like they've been a band for years--of course, it does help that the rhythm section has, in fact, played together for years.

Highlights? The whole album's a highlight. The solos are superb, popping through the fantastic horn arrangements. Steve Nelson's vibes give the music that signature Holland-group sparseness. The compositions are typically Dave: brilliantly imaginative. And, each tune is a fresh realization; no going through the motions here.

I can't say enough about talented--understatement!--drummer Billy Kilson. Try the break in "The Razor's Edge" from 2:22 to 2:27, or the groove this master lays down in the same song starting at 2:36 (pay special attention to his tom-tom work in conjunction with his bass drum). And then, there's his solo in "What Goes On"; and his work with the brushes in the entrancing "First Snow." His drumming throughout the album floors me. His drumming throughout all of Dave's recent albums floors me. This guy is a monster, and I wouldn't be surprised if he will someday be mentioned in the same breath with Messrs. Roach, Jones and Williams.

Dave Holland does it again, giving us a wonderful, richly creative album with a slightly different slant, but still definitively Holland. Get this. Five stars, no problem.

Cheers,
Murray

This album is as good as the previous recordings from the Dave Holland Quintet. Great musicianship, great arrangments. The long version of the title track is particularly excellent. This album is a must for any Jazz fan.

When I heard the Dave Holland Quintet's "Not for Nuthin", I criticized it for what I felt was a lack of energy and passion in that somewhat sonically sparse quintet setting. Since then he has added a collection of exceptional horn players (e.g. Gary Smulyan, Antonio Hart, Mark Gross, and Alex Sipiagin to name a few) to form a big band, of which this recording is the fruit of their labor and collaboration. And I must say that my gripes have been addressed with this recording, in that there is plenty of engery (hard not to have this in a 13 piece band), passion, and compositional complexity to make this an interesting and enjoyable listen. For me, "Triple Dance", "What Goes Around", "First Snow", and "Shadow Dance" are amoung the highlights. Big bands and orchestras are nothing new to jazz, and I'm glad to see that there is someone like Holland who is not only continuing this tradition, but is also attempting to instill some of the more modern aspects of the jazz sound into this setting. This is something I would like to see and hear more of: a synthesis of symphonic music with jazz, something that was established in the works of Duke Ellington and Aaron Copeland, but should be explored much more. With this in mind, I couldn't help but think that the addition of more strings (than simply a double bass) and percussion to this current line up could lead to something quite exceptional. In fact, after listening to this, I'm often apt to grab for Conrad Herwig's "The Latin Side of John Coltrane", a great recording which demonstrates this very idea.

Dave Holland is one of the most creative musicians in the game. He has a long track record of taking young and creative musicians and putting them into situations where they have to grow and evolve artistically. He has proven this with a string of excellent previous recordings including his 80's Quintet ("Seeds of Time", "Jumpin' In" and "The Razor's Edge"), his '88 Trio ("Triplicate"), his early '90's Quartet ("Extensions") and his latest Quintet ("Prime Directive" and "Not For Nothin'"). I would strongly recommend new comers to check out his previous recordings to get the full appreciation of the Dave Holland Big Band.

"What Goes Around" takes Dave's last Quintet and adds brass to thicken the sound. What you get is a full course menu of Jazz invention that is hearty, tasteful and very satisfying. Borrowing arrangement styles from Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Kenny Wheeler, Holland creates another classic recording that fits perfectly into his evolutionary timeline.

The dics starts out with the big, bold and brassy "Triple Dance". This track features the big sound of Baritone Sax (Gary Smulyan) mixing it up with Trombone (Robin Eubanks) while the rhythm section swings with the propulsion of a locomotive. "Blues For C.M." is a tribute to Charles Mingus with a colorful shade of Duke Ellington mixed into the arrangements, while "The Razor's Edge" is a storm surge of brass that ends with a torrential Trombone solo by Josh Roseman. "What Goes Around" is the standout track on this disc. Previously recorded on last years' "Not For Nothin'", this track is filled with a probing bass line and shifting horn swells. The brass builds up to a frenzy only to have the bottom drop out to a beautiful quiet Bass & Vibes duo. The tension then swells up again only to be released this time by masterful drummer Billy Kilson. This track will leave you emotionally drained in a nice way. It is a good thing that "Upswing" and "First Snow" are somewhat more relaxed or you would find yourself completely spent before getting to the excellent "Shadow Dance" to finish off the experience. Antonio Hart steals this track with a georgeous Flute solo before Chris Potter & Billy Kilson bring the disc to an appropriate climatic close.

Dave's choice of compositions provide an excellent environment for high quality exchanges between the musicians. Enough cannot be said about the contributions made by regular Quintet members because they are the foundation of this Big Band, but one cannot overlook the excellent contributions made by the new musicians either. Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin and Baritone Saxophonist Gary Smulyan steal the spotlight on "Upswing" and each provide splashes of excellence throughout the recording. Antonio Hart also sparkles on Alto Saxophone and Flute. All-in-all, the group chemistry is first-rate.

Dave Holland deserves all the credit for putting together a Big Band that is capable of taking his music to new heights. His growth and evolution as an artist and bandleader should become a case study for young musicians. Dave Holland is on a multi-year roll. "What Goes Around" is his latest in high-end art. Excellence is found right here!

Anyone who has been listening to Dave Holland since 1998's release "Points of View" already knows he's a living soundtrack to modern music and culture. The latest in a string of stellar Dave Holland releases brings forth a large ensemble without compromising the intimacy and dynamics of a well-travelled/well-established core quintet.

Compositions selected range from just about every period of Dave's career as a leader: each adorn not only a new frame, but an entirely new context, source for materials and color.

The sound pours into one's ears an ever evolving brew of virtual aural bliss, largely due to Dave's long-standing relationship with engineer James Farber. A prime example of his achievements can be found on the track "The Razor's Edge". I can only compare it to a hypothetical realm where one might experience sights, scents and touch within the recorded medium.

The musicians who augment this quintet are truly brilliant individuals, all of whom clearly listened, whole-heartedly rose to the occasion and without reservation in service to the Music.

Dave Holland is a fluid composer; the potency of his melodies are the essence of his being, and it's all on the page. These musicians can work with a lot less and still come up with awe-inpsiring sounds. From the big band's vast palette there emerge flashes of collective improvisation, sufficient even if only to capture the flavor of yet-to-be-painted areas, a sort of tentative (but tangible) proposition for possibility that this unit is able to forego. Not every arrangement calls for such a quality/ingredient, however those that do will plainly find the listener discovering an ensemble with wings warm and readied long before the chosen downbeat.

I prefer not to assign a rating (similar to the approach of publication "JAZZ TIMES"). If one must - 4.5 or 5 stars, depending on one's criteria for judgement....myself...well, I rounded off.