Steve Wyzard FUSION!

When I first reviewed Prism for another site 10 years ago, I will admit I kind of pooh-poohed it. It's not really a fusion album, I insisted. There are no organs, exotic substances, inner enlightenment, or sci-fi crossovers. I'd like to now walk this view back and own up, after listening to it for the last 10 years, to the fact that yes, it is a real fusion album. It should also be noted that unlike many Dave Holland albums, there are also no brass/horns, and it's not a big band album. So allow me to make myself clear: Prism is not only an honest-to-goodness fusion album, but it's also one of the very best jazz records of the 2010s decade.

Holland's cohorts on this album are Craig Taborn, piano and Fender Rhodes, Kevin Eubanks, guitars, and Eric Harland on drums. Do you enjoy frantically driven, intense soloing? You've come to the right place, for Prism provides bushels and bushels of it over its 70:07 runtime. I say this as someone who believes that very few studio albums merit a runtime of longer than 60-65 minutes, but in this case it's absolutely justified.

Wait until you hear Eubanks's twisted, distorted lines on "The Watcher", the Leslie-cabinet effect on "Choir", the Gibson hollow-body tone on the spooky "The Color of Iris", and the Wah-Wah pedal on "Breathe". His solo at the end of "A New Day" brings Wes Montgomery into the 21st century. More than just a non-stop soloist, he often doubles the melody lines with Taborn. Eric Harland is quite simply amazing, especially in a rimshot showpiece at the end of "Evolution". Taborn is the "most free" of this incomparable quartet: the quirky stops and starts of "Spirals" and the stunning piano solo on "The True Meaning of Determination" are beyond awe-inspiring.

And what of Holland himself? As always, he's the bedrock beneath the terra firma. His all-too-rare solos sound so effortless that they almost defer attention. In spite of throwing jabs like a heavyweight champ, the listener can almost take his lines for granted, so cohesively do they mesh into the musical fabric. And while no one would compare Prism to 1978's all-solo Emerald Tears, his dexterity, innovation, and virtuosity have not suffered after almost 50 years of recorded performances.

So yes, this is a fusion album, and if you haven't heard this yet, I strongly urge you to rectify that situation. Even at this late date, Prism deserves to be mentioned among the all-time greats of the genre.

js Possibly “Uncharted Territories”, and its emphasis on free improvisation, is a bit of a nostalgia trip for Dave Holland. Back in the late 60s, Holland had performed with saxophonist Evan Parker in John Steven’s Spontaneous Music Ensemble, and although Holland would go on to leave the ‘free scene’, Parker made a career of it. Some time in recent years, Holland contacted Parker about the two of them recording some free duets like back in the day. As Dave reflected on this proposed endeavor, possibly he was drawn to another avant-garde memory, the group Circle he performed in with Chick Corea and Anthony Braxton, because when Holland decided to add Craig Taborn and Ches Smith to he and Evan’s recording date, he re-created an ensemble quite similar to the original Circle.

The tracks on “Uncharted Territories” are almost entirely spontaneous improvisations, with just a few tracks featuring some pre-conceived composition. To keep things interesting, the musicians vary the lineups for the sessions into various ensembles of 2,3, or 4 people. The tracks are usually fairly short by free improv standards and feature a wide variety of music. This is a very versatile and talented foursome, so the music can vary from interesting sound sculptures to quiet chamber passages to be-bop gone berserk and all out free jazz explosions. The integrity of the musicians involved shines through as they very carefully interact with each other.

This is a very good modern free jazz album, yet somehow disappointing too. Especially with a modernist like Taborn on board, one might expect something a little different from a classic free session. Electronics are listed in Craig’s instrument arsenal and yet they barely make an appearance. Judging by the musicians and instruments listed, it would be easy to expect some modern sound exploration and compositional constructs, and that does happen occasionally, but as mentioned earlier, this recording may be a lot about Holland’s attempt to re-visit his past.

js Dave Holland started out his career performing on some of the most vital early fusion albums created, but since then has not returned to that style often, until now. “Prism” marks a return to fusion for Holland, but in styles different from what he helped create with Miles and others back in the late 60s. The first two cuts on here feature guitarist Kevin Eubanks and sound like something from the late 70s when heavily distorted guitar shredders ruled the day, but on “Spirals”, the band moves into more of a free session with the avant-garde leaning pianist Craig Taborn leading the way. “Choir” is a sort of calypso with a constantly modulating melody sounding a bit like Ornette Coleman's Prime Time, and “The Color of Iris” presents a more introspective side of the band.

The playing on this CD is excellent, with the more modern sensibilities of Taborn and drummer Eric Harland keeping “Prism” from sounding like a relic from the 70s, although Eubank’s skills on guitar will not disappoint the fusion fan looking for some fretboard fireworks. Continuing with the tracks, “A New Day” gets jazzy with a free flowing post bop swing and acoustic piano solos from Taborn. Of the remaining cuts, the most interesting moment on this CD happens in the middle of “The True Meaning of Determination” when the rhythm breaks down and Taborn and Harland exchange broken sounding rhythmic figures sounding like a drum machine beat being quantified. It’s a striking effect and probably difficult to pull off. “Breathe” closes the CD with more quiet stillness and some nice piano work.

As mentioned earlier, the playing on here is outstanding with a nice abstract modern influence, but not all of the songs on here are all that memorable. As is often the case with fusion albums, the songs seem merely too exist so the musicians can cut to the solos.

darkshade Excellent album, this is one of my most listened to jazz albums. There is something about the mood here. Holland's bass is undeniable, he is, of course, one of the greats. But between the horns and the percussion and marimbas, my mind is just taken to another world. This kind of music is usually played on a rainy day, or late at night. It just has that feel to it.

90s jazz has usually been something I haven't been into much, aside from a few exceptions, but this album leaves me wanting more. If you like post-bop, but with a whole lot of creativity, a little groove, and excellent players, this is the album to check out. One of Dave's best albums in the last 20 years.

snobb Quite an unusual album for Dave Holland or better to say - Spanish flamenco guitarist Pepe Habichuela album with some help from Dave Holland. Both musicians played some concerts together in 2007 and later decided to return and record their music as an album. Their accompanying musicians are almost the same as during their earlier concerts - Carlos and Josemi Carmonas on acoustic guitars and percussionists Israel "Piraña" Porrina and Juan Carmona.

As you can expect, the music on this album is mostly flamenco with three acoustic guitarists, two percussionists and Dave Holland on bass. Possibly the best way to imagine this is to just think about the well-known McLaughlin/Di Meola/De Lucia "Friday Nights..", but "Hands" not only has three acoustic guitars, but also a three-member rhythm section as well.

A great thing with this album is it is recorded by authentic Spanish music artists, many of whom come from families of flamenco musicians where the musical tradition is passed from generation to generation. It gives the musicians a very natural and deep understanding of the material. None of this sounds like folkloric adaptations for tourists. To be honest, there is not much space to hear Holland's bass, but the whole album sounds like a really great release for fans of acoustic guitar music.