Dave Holland Quintet: Not for Nothin'
(ECM 1758. Dave Holland, prod.; James Farber, eng. DDD. TT: 72.)

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

Not For Nothin' continues the evolution of Holland's latest band -- an ongoing saga that encompasses Points of View and Prime Directive. This time out, the disparate voices of Chris Potter's saxes, Robin Eubanks' trombone, Steve Nelson's vibes, Billy Kilson's drums and Holland's double bass have grown even tighter and more cohesive. The five musicians have become a band -- one with a unique sound and an almost uncanny ability to play together.

Central to the sound of this quintet is vibraphonist Steve Nelson, who has forged a timbral and melodic identity on the instrument like that of no other player. His manages to keep the vibes fresh and surprising, varying his sound with different attacks, canny muting, and innovative comping. Both as a support to his fellow soloists and as an "orchestral" player, he's constantly thinking, listening, contributing....

This frees Robin Eubanks and Chris Potter to concentrate on an almost conversational approach to playing and soloing. Sometimes playing counterpoint to one another, at others indulging in call and response, they represent the most voice-like element of the band's ensemble explorations. And like two old, dear friends, they aren't always in perfect agreement -- sometimes they sputter at one another indignantly.

And kicking the ensemble along, Billy Kilson's drumming is immensely tonal. He propels the group forward with the sounds of his battery as much as his impeccable timekeeping. He's got -- as jazz musicians say -- "big ears."

Anchoring everything firmly to the earth is Holland's bass. Its deep tones and terse drive are almost elemental -- deeply cerebral and stone-simple simultaneously.

The songs on Not For Nothin' are winners, ranging from the Afro-Caribbean lilt of Eubanks' "Global Citizen" to the almost folksong simplicity of Holland's "Shifting Sands." Holland contributed five songs to the record and each band member brought one of his own, but what is most obvious is the degree to which all five musicians are all on the same page compositionally -- even the most careful listener would be hard-pressed to match song to author.

But even the most casual listener will hear how great this record sounds. From the metallic shimmer of the vibes to the fundamental power of Holland's acoustic bass, this recording captures all the warmth and detail of live music in a great sounding room. And when the band is playing at full roar, you'll hear precisely how good your system is at sorting out details -- but it had better be really good or it won't give you everything this recording has captured.

Yet all of this misses a huge portion of Not For Nothin's charm, which is the sheer exuberance with which the music is played. These five musicians seem overwhelmingly happy to be in the moment playing together. As for me, I'm just happy to be able to listen to it -- and to return to it whenever I wish, which will be often.

...Wes Phillips
wes@onhifi.com