Dave Holland Quartet - Conference of the Birds

In the early '70s, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Barry Altschul had a well-deserved reputation as the most fluently creative rhythm section in free jazz. Two of the groups they worked with regularly were those of Sam Rivers and Anthony Braxton. It was Holland's inspiration to pair the two in this 1972 quartet, when Rivers and Braxton represented two distinct generations of the avant-garde, the former generating explosive, driven tenor lines filled with honks and cries and the latter creating oblique postmodern solos on a variety of reeds. It was a brilliant idea, and the results are one of the essential jazz recordings of the'70s. Holland's compositions include boppish, Ornette-inspired lines and strong melodies that provide cool and varied frames for improvisation. That Rivers and Braxton are among the finest flutists in jazz is just one of the treats, while Holland is one of the great bassists. Altschul's scintillating drumming completes a quartet with some of the quickest reflexes in improvised music. --Stuart Broomer Amazon.com

How many other 1973 albums still sound this fresh?

"Conference Of The Birds" starts with a blast -- "Four Winds" gets straight to the point with a fast, lively melody and fast, lively playing by the band. Sam Rivers and Anthony Braxton share the saxophone and flute playing, and they are excellent throughout. This version of "Four Winds" is superior to the one Holland recorded in 1988 with Steve Coleman and Jack DeJohnette. The second song, "Q & A" is a very free song. At points, given its slow pace a whistling flutes, you think it could be called "Conference Of The Birds", but of course it isn't. The title track is a great tune - it has a witchy, beguiling melody, and ends too soon. "Interception" is boiling fast, and starts with wild soloing. It's a blast from start to finish, and you don't realize there's a written-out riff until the very end. "Now Here" is a slow song, and Holland's bass playing is most prominant. "See-Saw" is another fast one, though it's more structured than "Interception".

This is a fantastic CD, it doesn't sound dated, and every jazz fan should get it. September 5, 2008

a life changer of a LP

This was my introduction to Dave's Music and it was love on first play. I was also luckily enough to be front row at his Wednesday noon recital at Cornish back in '82; now that was amazing. This may not be a great LP for a first time jazz listener, or if you consider "soft jazz" jazz, but it is a true classic. Every music library should have a copy. July 4, 2008

Avant garde in the 70s when fusion was king

This is Holland's breakout album. It is very avant garde during an age when fusion was king. While not for everyone, the music is unique to the period and a primer for things to come. "Conference of the Birds" stands as one of the best concept albums of the 70s and was pivitol in Holland's development as a band leader and artist. The bass playing is top notch (as Holland's playing always is) and jives well with the other wonderful musicians on the disc- Sam Rivers, Anthony Braxton and Barry Altschul. Overall, "COTB" is a great addition to a well rounded 70s jazz collection. April 2, 2008

for the birds

seeing the names anthony braxton and sam rivers, this recording turned out to be not what i expected, breakneck playing, some screeching, screaming sax, with some atonality and those abstract sketches by anthony braxton. the track, interception, comes close to what i had in mind, breakneck playing and some screeching. otherwise, there are the differences, pleasurable and surprising, four winds and see-saw both appear blues inspired sax pieces. listening to the flutes on q&a, that track sounds a lot like a conference of birds, whereas the track, conference of the birds, with the stately bass sounds like a piece commissioned by a european royality in the early 18th century. now here (nowhere) sounds like it could had been written by anthony braxton.

not what i expected, but very enjoyable. April 8, 2007

Spellbound

I can go years without hearing this, then play it and it still sounds as refreshing and energetic as when it was recorded. Redefines the term "timeless masterpiece" and it's probably the greatest fusion of bop/avant garde in the history of jazz music with a couple of fine ballad type/pastoral pieces thrown in the mix.I can't imagine a jazz collection without it. April 4, 2006

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