Dave Holland - What Goes Around

Quick horns, fat bass, sharp angles, and lyrical melodies have earmarked Dave Holland's quintets since he formed his first in 1983. And on What Goes Around, Holland stakes his big band on the same values with phenomenal success. Mingus and Ellington are clearly the inspiration here, with jumping solos running alongside brass and reed riffs aplenty. The leader's longstanding emphasis on hummable melodies is of utmost importance, from the first, loping lines of "Triple Dance" through the bounding, three-minute bass solo and Ellingtonian riff-making on "Shadow Dance." Steve Nelson's vigorous vibraphone serves as rhythm and melody so fluidly that it draws the ear through the well-ordered crowd of 10 horns toward the big, pumping hearts of these tunes. Chris Potter's tenor cuts a formidable, excited swath, as does drummer Billy Kilson's swift marriage of Elvin Jones's force and Billy Higgins's snapping sharpness. But the clear voice is found in the marriage of Holland's quick, thick bass imaginings and his soulful, wide-ranging tunes. --Andrew Bartlett Amazon.com

amamzing cd

This is a really great modern big band CD. Dave Holland has a fantatic outfit here. These musicans each have very distinct styles, but meld together quite well.

Each song is very comeplex, made up of long chord cycles, and the music is always engaging. It takes a few listenes to be able to folliw the writting style, but each time you listen, the music imrpoves.

The playing is also amamzing: there may be two sax solos in one number, but each player is so strong, they are very distinct from the other. The drummer is very flexable, putting lots of little fills and counter-rhythms under the musie. And Holland is an increadbley disciplined player; it amazes me how, even with extremely free-jamming music behind him, he always keeps a simple, clean, stedy bass-line. It is like Zen non-reactivity.

The music almost remindsd me of Zappa's big band stuff. It is modern, complex, and swings like hell.

BUY THIS. June 6, 2008

HIS BEST EFFORT FROF HIS BEST EFFORTS

DAVE HOLLAND S RECORDINGS ARE ALL GREAT AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO CHOOSE THE BEST AMONG THEM.However this is his best so far for me .best bass player in the world an excellent jazz musician with a very serious approach towards jazz.In other words he knows perfectly how to present the most fresh and innovative result in everything new he makes .HATS OFF April 16, 2008

an awesome forest

something about not seeing the trees for the forest... . there are quite a few splendid trees here, antonio hart, chris potter, robin eubanks, steve nelson, billy kilson, gary smulyan... . but it's the forest you should approach first. spectacular. i don't believe there's a better big band of straight out jazz playing than of dave holland's assemblage. September 17, 2007

Absolutly stunning!!!

In all the Dave Holland's discography in my opinion this one really stands out. I own all the Dave Holland's recent recordings, quintet, quartet, trio and they are all great, great records. But this one is special. It is incredible, amazing. A big band which plays intricate and hypermodern arrangements on the well known trademark Dave's bass textures and compositions. I'm glad Dave recordedin this big band format a couple of his older compositions taken from the "Steve Coleman period", the one that saw "Razor's edge", "Jumpin' in", "Seeds of time" coming to light. I repeat this is a hell of a project. "Quick horns, fat bass, sharp angles, and lyrical melodies" is exactly what you'll find here together with the finest musicianship possible, and ultramodern very interesting arrangements that take pride in remembering the big band history! Billy kilson is a freak, a musical freak, a force of nature! I mean this is really something spectacular that you can add to your Jazz cds collection. I couldn't suggest a better buying in terms of contemporary albums. It is incredibly well written, arranged, played and it is incredibly entertaining to be such deep music!!! One thousand stars. Buy it, you'll thank me later. Go! January 4, 2006

Ok

I was a little disappointed given the hype, although I sucumbed and bought the thing based on the Downbeat reviews! It finally convinced me that Downbeat is a tired magazine for old men which no longer has any relevance . Anyway, this is a pleasant inoffensive CD. August 21, 2004

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