“One of the jewels of the jazz world.” The New York Times

Date and Time:
Friday, April 1, 2005 at 7:30 p.m.

Single Ticket Prices:
$10, 15, 22, 34, 45 (discounts available for seniors, youth, and groups)

Season Ticket Packages:
This concert is part of the Artist Series and Music in Motion Series season ticket packages.

Location:
Macky Auditorium

Running Time:
1.5 to 2 hours

Preconcert Conversation:
Brad Goode, Professor of Jazz Studies at 6:45 p.m. in Macky Room 102

Event Overview:
Elegant, impassioned, and swinging are all apt descriptions of legendary bassist, composer, improviser, and ensemble leader Dave Holland. Shaped during his days with Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter, his approach to music is sincere and exciting, bringing together the best players and turning them loose. Holland’s all-star quintet features Robin Eubanks on trombone, Steve Nelson on vibes, Chris Potter on saxophone, and Nate Smith on drums.

Artist Bio:
In the summer of 1963, at the age of 17, Dave Holland was offered a job playing double bass with a dance band that was working at a holiday resort for the summer season. As soon as he moved to London Dave began studying with James E. Merritt, who was the principal bassist of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and teaching at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. In the spring of 1964, on Mr. Merritt's recommendation, he applied for admission to a three year program at the Guildhall School and after taking the entrance exam, was admitted in September of that year with a full scholarship.

By 1966 he had begun playing with John Surman, John McLaughlin, Evan Parker, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Chris MacGregor and other London based musicians who were being influenced by the contemporary jazz innovations of the times. He was particularly inspired during this period by bassists Charles Mingus, Scott LaFaro, Jimmy Garrison, Ron Carter and Gary Peacock.

By 1967 Dave was appearing frequently at Ronnie Scott's with such jazz greats as Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Joe Henderson. It was during an engagement there in July of 1968 that Miles Davis visited the club, heard Dave playing, and asked him to join his band. Dave moved to New York a few weeks later and for the next two years toured and appeared on a number of recordings with Miles including In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew. When not on the road with Miles, he worked with many others in the New York music community.

In late 1970 Dave left Miles' band and together with Chick Corea, Anthony Braxton and Barry Altschul founded the group Circle. It was at this time that he started performing on cello as well as bass. After working together for a year Circle disbanded, and early in 1972 Dave joined Stan Getz's group. He also had the opportunity during this period to work briefly with Thelonious Monk, and began what was to be a long musical relationship with Sam Rivers. Later that year he recorded his first album as a leader, the widely acclaimed Conference of the Birds. He also began teaching privately and as a guest teacher at the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, New York, run by Karl and Ingrid Berger. At the beginning of 1973 Dave left the Getz quartet and began concentrating on working with Anthony Braxton in duo and group situations, and with Sam Rivers in duo and other settings. In 1975 he took part in the formation of Gateway, a trio with John Abercrombie and Jack DeJohnette, a fellow band member from the Miles Davis band. Gateway continues to tour and record up to the present time. After working with Betty Carter for a few months in 1976, Dave spent the remainder of the decade working and recording with Sam Rivers. He also recorded an album of solo bass music in 1977 entitled Emerald Tears and began performing solo concerts.

The 1980's started with Dave continuing to work with Sam Rivers, but in 1981 he left the band so that he could turn his attention to putting together his own group. After recording the solo cello album Life Cycle, he was ready to assemble his first full time working band. The first version of the group was a quintet featuring Kenny Wheeler, Julian Priester, Steve Coleman and Steve Ellington. Later members included Marvin "Smitty" Smith and Robin Eubanks. The group recorded three groundbreaking albums Jumpin' In, Seeds of Time and The Razor's Edge and toured extensively until 1987.

Following the disbanding of the quintet Dave continued working in a trio format, and in 1988 recorded the poll winning album Triplicate with Jack DeJohnette and Steve Coleman. He also performed with Hank Jones and recorded two albums with him, one of them with Billy Higgins.

In 1988 Dave formed a new band, a quartet with Steve Coleman, Kevin Eubanks and Marvin "Smitty" Smith, and in 1989 the group recorded Extensions, an album that was voted album of the year in Downbeat magazine, and received worldwide acclaim.

During 1990 Dave was part of a world tour with Jack DeJohnette's Parallel Realities, a group featuring Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny, and also performed on the Grammy nominated recording, Question and Answer, with Metheny and Roy Haynes. In 1992 Dave began appearing as a regular member of Herbie Hancock's trio and also performed on Joe Henderson's Grammy Award winning recording So Near, So Far.

Early in 1994 Dave formed a new quartet with Steve Nelson, Eric Person and Gene Jackson. The summer was spent touring with Gateway and in December the trio recorded an album for ECM entitled Homecoming. Dave's quartet performed in Europe and America and early in 1995 the band recorded the album Dream of the Elders. The remainder of the year he toured both with his group and as a member of Herbie Hancock's trio with Gene Jackson.

During 1996 Dave took part in a world tour with Herbie Hancock's quartet, and also toured with Gateway and with his own group. He was active in the studio and performed on three Grammy nominated albums: Michael Brecker's Tales from the Hudson, Herbie Hancock's The New Standard, and Billy Childs' The Child Within.

In the summer of 1997 Dave formed a new group, a quintet that features Steve Wilson, Robin Eubanks, Steve Nelson and Billy Kilson. After an extensive European tour the band recorded an album entitled Points Of View, which was released by ECM in 1998. He also performed with Herbie Hancock's New Standard group and Michael Brecker's Tales from the Hudson band, and participated in Joe Henderson's Porgy and Bess project.

Dave Holland has attained a new plateau of public popularity and critical acclaim with his current quintet. Both of the quintet's previous albums, for instance, Points of View and Prime Directive, were Grammy-nominated; the band was voted #1 Acoustic Jazz Group of the Year in the Down Beat Critics' Poll, Best Combo of the Year in the Bell Atlantic jazz Awards: the Jazz Journalists Association gave its Live Performance of the Year Award and Best Small Ensemble Award to the Holland Quintet, voted Album of the Year and also gave Holland prizes as Bass Player of the Year (twice) and Musician of the Year. Holland has also been #1 Bass Player in the Down Beat Critics Poll for three consecutive years and in 2000 received an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music. In the midst of this 'awards-bonanza', quintet saxophonist Chris Potter became, at 29, the youngest musician ever to win the Danish Jazzpar prize, Europe's highest honor for a jazz player.

The group has made its mark by insisting on being "a group" in an age of all-star projects, and by the time-honored route of going on the road and staying there. Itineraries have taken the unit all over North and South America, Europe and Asia, including a tour of China. Despite the individual members' crowded schedules, each of them makes the quintet a priority.

Links:
www.daveholland.com

Audio:
Listen to or purchase music from Dave Holland at Barnes&Noble.com. A portion of your purchase will be donated to CU Concerts.
• Extended Play: Live at Birdland
• Not for Nothin'