DAVE HOLLAND - Another Land
Edition Records EDN1172
Dave Holland (acoustic and electric bass); Kevin Eubanks (guitar); Obed Calvaire (drums)
Recorded Sear Sounds, NYC 10-12 September 2020
Photographs of Dave Holland almost invariably show the musician holding a double bass, but Holland is equally proficient on electric bass. It’s often forgotten that Holland was the first musician in Miles Davis’ band to play electric bass in a live setting (Ron Carter was the first musician in Miles’ band to play electric bass - on the track ‘Stuff’ on Miles In The Sky - but he never played it in concert). And if you’ve never heard Holland play electric bass, then check out his performance on ‘Spanish Key’ from Miles’ 1969 Isle of Wight performance, because he really swings on it. Alternatively, you could listen to this album, which has Holland switching between acoustic and electric bass – interestingly, the publicity photograph for the album shows Holland holding an electric bass.
This is a power trio recording, with Holland joined by Kevin Eubanks on guitar and Obed Calvaire on drums. Eubanks has recorded many albums as leader and played with artists such as Steve Coleman, Gary Thomas, Greg Osby, and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Calvaire’s career spans the jazz and soul worlds, and his jazz collaborations include Wynton Marsalis, Yellowjackets, Joshua Redman, Bob Mintzer and the SF Jazz Collective. This trio first played together five years ago and it’s no surprise that this is a tight, coherent unit.
This album is the first of a new partnership between Holland’s Dare2 label (which gave the musician greater control over his music, including ownership of the masters) and Edition Records. My review copy was a streaming version, so I can’t comment on the packaging, but Edition has clearly pushed the boat out when it comes to promotion, with this album available as a limited edition two-disc, coloured vinyl LP, with the first 200 copies including a signed postcard. The CD version comes with a free digital download.
Anyway, onto the music, which features all original compositions. No prisoners are taken with the opening number ‘Grave Walker’ which has Holland playing a funk bass riff on electric bass and Calvaire laying down a syncopated groove, over which Eubanks plays some chopping rhythm guitar. It’s gritty, it’s funky and it’s fiery. By contrast, the title track is a graceful, nine-minute ballad which begins with Holland playing a vamp on acoustic bass, Eubanks playing light, delicate guitar lines and Calvaire using brushes. Holland plays a long solo that at one point has echoes of Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme.’ Eubanks’ guitar sound has great fluency and feeling, and there are sections where it sounds as if an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar are double-tracked.
‘Gentle Warrior’ has Holland playing another vamp on acoustic bass, and it’s a good example of his powerful, propulsive playing, which really drives the music. There are more impressive solos from both Holland and Eubanks, and Calvaire is let loose with a series of explosive fills and rolls. ’20 20’ features an atmospheric opening, rather like Miles’ ‘In A Silent Way,’ with Eubanks playing delicately. But this is just the calm before the storm, because the band then sets up a heavy groove. ‘Quiet Fire’ is aptly-named, as it’s a dream-like ballad featuring Eubanks on solo guitar. By contrast, ‘Mashup’ is where jazz meets rock and funk, an energetic number that includes a Calvaire solo that has him firing on all cylinders over a guitar/bass riff. The bluesy ‘Passing Time’ has a bass riff that burrows its way into your ears, while the African-influenced ‘The Village’ has a cracking out-of-tempo opening with a dark, mysterious bass line, cascading percussion and guitar laced with reverb. The music builds in intensity with Eubanks’ guitar soaring above Calvaire’s busy accents and splashing cymbals. The final track, “Bring It Back Home,’ brings the album to a highly satisfying and mellow conclusion, with Eubank’s bluesy guitar, Holland’s steady pulse and Calvaire’s slow shuffle evoking the feeling of a long, lazy Sunday afternoon. Dave Holland is 75 years old this year, but this album clearly shows that the fire, energy and passion have not left his music. And long may that continue.
Reviewed by George Cole
Edition Records EDN1172
Dave Holland (acoustic and electric bass); Kevin Eubanks (guitar); Obed Calvaire (drums)
Recorded Sear Sounds, NYC 10-12 September 2020
Photographs of Dave Holland almost invariably show the musician holding a double bass, but Holland is equally proficient on electric bass. It’s often forgotten that Holland was the first musician in Miles Davis’ band to play electric bass in a live setting (Ron Carter was the first musician in Miles’ band to play electric bass - on the track ‘Stuff’ on Miles In The Sky - but he never played it in concert). And if you’ve never heard Holland play electric bass, then check out his performance on ‘Spanish Key’ from Miles’ 1969 Isle of Wight performance, because he really swings on it. Alternatively, you could listen to this album, which has Holland switching between acoustic and electric bass – interestingly, the publicity photograph for the album shows Holland holding an electric bass.
This is a power trio recording, with Holland joined by Kevin Eubanks on guitar and Obed Calvaire on drums. Eubanks has recorded many albums as leader and played with artists such as Steve Coleman, Gary Thomas, Greg Osby, and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Calvaire’s career spans the jazz and soul worlds, and his jazz collaborations include Wynton Marsalis, Yellowjackets, Joshua Redman, Bob Mintzer and the SF Jazz Collective. This trio first played together five years ago and it’s no surprise that this is a tight, coherent unit.
This album is the first of a new partnership between Holland’s Dare2 label (which gave the musician greater control over his music, including ownership of the masters) and Edition Records. My review copy was a streaming version, so I can’t comment on the packaging, but Edition has clearly pushed the boat out when it comes to promotion, with this album available as a limited edition two-disc, coloured vinyl LP, with the first 200 copies including a signed postcard. The CD version comes with a free digital download.
Anyway, onto the music, which features all original compositions. No prisoners are taken with the opening number ‘Grave Walker’ which has Holland playing a funk bass riff on electric bass and Calvaire laying down a syncopated groove, over which Eubanks plays some chopping rhythm guitar. It’s gritty, it’s funky and it’s fiery. By contrast, the title track is a graceful, nine-minute ballad which begins with Holland playing a vamp on acoustic bass, Eubanks playing light, delicate guitar lines and Calvaire using brushes. Holland plays a long solo that at one point has echoes of Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme.’ Eubanks’ guitar sound has great fluency and feeling, and there are sections where it sounds as if an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar are double-tracked.
‘Gentle Warrior’ has Holland playing another vamp on acoustic bass, and it’s a good example of his powerful, propulsive playing, which really drives the music. There are more impressive solos from both Holland and Eubanks, and Calvaire is let loose with a series of explosive fills and rolls. ’20 20’ features an atmospheric opening, rather like Miles’ ‘In A Silent Way,’ with Eubanks playing delicately. But this is just the calm before the storm, because the band then sets up a heavy groove. ‘Quiet Fire’ is aptly-named, as it’s a dream-like ballad featuring Eubanks on solo guitar. By contrast, ‘Mashup’ is where jazz meets rock and funk, an energetic number that includes a Calvaire solo that has him firing on all cylinders over a guitar/bass riff. The bluesy ‘Passing Time’ has a bass riff that burrows its way into your ears, while the African-influenced ‘The Village’ has a cracking out-of-tempo opening with a dark, mysterious bass line, cascading percussion and guitar laced with reverb. The music builds in intensity with Eubanks’ guitar soaring above Calvaire’s busy accents and splashing cymbals. The final track, “Bring It Back Home,’ brings the album to a highly satisfying and mellow conclusion, with Eubank’s bluesy guitar, Holland’s steady pulse and Calvaire’s slow shuffle evoking the feeling of a long, lazy Sunday afternoon. Dave Holland is 75 years old this year, but this album clearly shows that the fire, energy and passion have not left his music. And long may that continue.
Reviewed by George Cole
