Dave Holland's Prism at Tri-C JazzFest (Cleveland)--June 28

[Milestones]

Our concert this year at Tri-C JazzFest was Dave Holland’s group Prism. Holland is of legendary status, so I figured I’d better not miss this chance. However, I’ve not been a big fan of the record, and as it turned out the group stuck to only pieces from their one CD. I remember reading about the excitement of this group (among themselves) and how they were composing more and getting ready to record a second CD.

Holland has had serious connections to two of these musicians: Kevin Eubanks and Eric Harland. I thought Eubanks made a fine contribution to Extensions, a record from more than 20 years ago. However, while admiring his facility, I just couldn’t get that much into some of the most-heavily distorted guitar I’ve ever heard. Harland has got some chops, but he did strike me as overly busy and bombastic. Craig Taborn seemed the odd man out, though when he did get the spotlight he went into show-off mode. In fact, this was very much my impression of the players, other than Holland himself.

Yes, Holland played on Bitches Brew, but this type of fusion sound was never (or so I thought) really his kind of thing.

I never did catch Holland’s quintet in concert. They put out several CDs and were his main group for many years. Even the bigger ensembles usually had key members of the quintet. It would have been cool to see Robin Eubanks and Steve Nelson. I don’t hear players on these instruments enough, and Holland certainly fashioned them into (along with Chris Potter on reeds) into a distinctive sound.

Well, I don’t want to lament too much over what (or who) was not on stage. But as a jazz show goes, I just was not that impressed by this current group.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Milestones

[xybert]

I've found it hard to get in to this group's music as well... Eubanks sounds a bit off to me, like a guy jamming on his guitar at home over the top of a another band's CD. Haven't listened to the album enough to note any lack of interaction it's just more the way he sounds.

[Head Man]

I saw this band at Ronnie Scott's last year and, like you, wasn't impressed. Most of the tunes they played were taken at the same tempo and Kevin Eubank's guitar solos were so similar that after a while the evening blurred into one, long jam. It felt more like listening to a rock band than a jazz unit. ...very disappointing.

[Milestones]

It's kind of strange, as there has been some rather fruitful work between Holland and Kevin Eubanks in the past.

On the record, I'd say my favorite track (interestingly, the shortest one) is "Choir."