Meet Reviewer Damian Erskine ~

Dave Holland Octet

“Pathways”

(www.daveholland.com)

I’m not even sure why this album requires a review of any kind.  Any music lover or fan of Dave Holland should just be buying this album regardless of what I have to say (he’s one of those guys for me and should be for most bass players!).  But I’ll give this a shot..

I can’t express enough how happy I am that Dave continues to write for larger ensembles.  While bordering on a lost art-form (at least in this country), Dave’s larger ensemble writing is a swath of dynamics, emotional range and masterful performances by all.  This band is just simply sublime.

Recorded live at Birdland Jan of 2009, the band is in top form and the recording is superb.  Dave’s tone is just stunning (as is his playing, of course).

This is just some of the hippest large ensemble music written, some of the best players around and one of the coolest bass players of the past 40 years doing what nobody else can do like they do.  Check it out, definitely!