Not for Nothin'

The British-born bassist, composer, and bandleader Dave Holland was a key figure in Miles Davis's high-flying fusion groups of the '60s and '70s. He's played with everyone from Herbie Hancock to Chick Corea, and many young lions such as Steve Coleman and Tonight Show drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith played in his bands in the '80s. This splendid CD teams Holland with alto/soprano/tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, the marvelous vibraphonist Steve Nelson, trombonist Robin Eubanks, and drummer Billy Kilson. Holland is an inventive and engaging composer, and he arguably has the deepest bass sound in the music. Everything he writes swings and grooves--from the dancing Afro-Caribbean-tinged numbers "Global Citizen" and "Lost and Found" to the exotic Saharan syncopations on "Shifting Sands" to the rapid-fire tempo on "Cosmosis." Sonically embellished by Potter's elliptical solos, Nelson's shimmering lines, Eubanks bravado 'bone bursts, and Kilson's rhythmic labyrinths, Dave Holland's sure-handed bass tones lay the foundation for some good jazz music. --Eugene Holley Jr.