Holland Steps Into Spotlight as Bandleader

Bassist Dave Holland has been one of the prime players of his instrument since the late ‘60s, when he joined the Miles Davis group, performing on such seminal albums as “In a Silent Way” and “Bitches Brew.” He has had less visibility, however, as a leader and composer, even though over the past few years he has led a series of fine ensembles and written impressive compositions for a diverse array of groups.

Those qualities were on full display Monday night at Cal State Northridge’s Performing Arts Center when Holland performed a set with his quintet and a set with the large CSUN Jazz “A” Band.

The big-band portion of the program included material from an upcoming album. Filled with loose, loping rhythms, rich harmonic clusters and riff-dominated background figures, the big-band charts mirrored Holland’s ability, as a player, to seamlessly blend straight-ahead jazz with virtuosic, avant-garde adventuring.

Holland’s quintet, however, turned out to be different from what was anticipated. His regular ensemble, with saxophonist Chris Potter, trombonist Robin Eubanks, vibraphonist Steve Wilson and drummer Billy Kilson, has been one of the marvels of contemporary jazz.

Working together on a regular basis, instrumented with the unusual timbral potential of trombone, saxophone and vibes, the band has produced several fine recordings and unerringly imaginative live performances.

For this appearance, however, Eubanks was replaced by alto saxophonist Antonio Hart--presumably at the last minute and without explanation to the audience. The resulting combination lacked the smooth compatibility of the regular Holland ensemble, with its blend of intuitive interaction and colorful collection of sounds. The evening, as a result, became a showcase for soloists with each individual having substantial opportunity to step into the spotlight.

No problem there, in terms of the quality of the offerings. Holland’s virtuosity was on full display; Wilson was, as always, a master of easygoing subtlety.

The new member, Hart, a thoroughly fascinating improviser, fit well into the Holland musical framework. And the resulting front-line duo, in which Hart worked side by side with Potter (arguably one of the finest tenor saxophonists on the current jazz scene), produced stunning results.