Does rhythm cause transformation? A bassist, composer, band leader and a master of time and rhythm, Dave Holland is in his fifth decade as a performer, and his music possesses a rich and kaleidoscopic history.

A seminal figure in post-1960s jazz, Dave Holland has never allowed his work to be limited by tradition. His path has led him from the frontiers of free improvisation to his modern ensembles that fully embody the Sam Rivers-instilled philosophy of “playing all of it.” The Wolverhampton, England, native got his big break from Miles Davis, with whom he played during the epochal Bitches Brew period. He formed his first working quintet in 1983 and continued to develop fruitful relationships with artists such as Anthony Braxton, Stan Getz, Cassandra Wilson, Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Thelonious Monk, Betty Carter, Pat Metheny, Kenny Wheeler, Bill Frisell, Roy Haynes, and Herbie Hancock over the course of his career. This performance with his 13-piece big band is Dave Holland’s third appearance since his 2003 UMS debut. “One of the very best working bands in jazz.” (The New York Times)

Program:
Program Book [PDF]

Also see:
Dave Holland Website

A seminal figure in post-1960s jazz, Dave Holland has never allowed his work to be limited by tradition. Noticed by Miles Davis at the fabled Soho jazz club Ronnie Scott’s in 1968, he quickly joined Davis’s bands for recording and touring around the world. 

Throughout his career, Holland has collaborated with a vast range of his peers, often connecting with celebrated figures from the previous generation of jazz icons. He has only gathered momentum with the new century. In 2005, Holland formed Dare2 Records, after a 34-year relationship with ECM Records, the label where he became a signature artist. Sharing the bandstand with the best of a younger generation of players, he has recently released several albums out on Dare2, including the Grammy-award winning Overtime (2005).

This performance is Dave Holland’s third appearance at UMS since 2003

From a Dave Holland Big Band performance