Pass It On  (Audio CD) 
by Dave Holland Sextet

Pass It On features newly-realized arrangements of some potent Holland compositions from past recordings, including "Lazy Snake" and "Equality" (from 1995's Dream of the Elders), the uptempo burner "Double Vision" (from 1984's Seeds of Time), the dynamic, mood-shifting suite "Rivers Run" (written for Dave's former duets partner from the mid-'70s, saxophonist Sam Rivers, and originally appearing on 1988's Triplicate), "Processional" (from 1989's Extensions) and "Modern Times" (from the 1995 Gateway recording, Homecoming). "Some of the compositions that I've written in the past evolve in my mind a little bit over time," says Holland, who is perhaps the most prolific bassist-composer since Charles Mingus. "When we first recorded some of these pieces, they were done in more stripped-down versions with different instrumentation, and I was starting to hear them as being possible for a larger ensemble. One of the advantages of the sextet is that it's still a smaller unit than big band or octet but it also gives you a lot of options in terms of orchestrating and utilizing backgrounds, either from the three horns or if one of the horns is soloing, from the other two horns. So I thought that was a good way to fill out these old compositions and expand on them a little bit where something new could happen. And, of course, this group of people brings some new creative ideas to the pieces." In addition to reinventing those previously recorded pieces, Holland also introduces two new compositions in the buoyant swinger "Fast Track" (based on the chord changes to George Gershwin's "The Man I Love") and the spirited, gospel-tinged title track which carries the kind of jubilant, uplifting feel inherent in the music of the Brotherhood of the Breath led by the South African-born Scottish musician Chris McGregor, an important mentor for Holland in the early part of his career. Eubanks also contributes the stirring, African-flavored opening track, "The Sum of All Parts." Says Holland, "I'm a big fan of Robin's compositions. I've featured him pretty much on every CD that I've done since 1987 and he's been a great asset, not just as a trombonist but as a composer." While Holland has eschewed piano with his long-standing quintet (featuring trombonist Eubanks, saxophonist Chris Potter, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, and drummer Nate Smith), he revels in the beautiful voicings and refined touch that pianist Miller brings to the sextet on Pass It On. "Of course, I have played with a lot of pianists over the years, including Hank Jones, Herbie Hancock, and others, but in my own projects I never really conceptualized a group with piano. Mulgrew certainly is within that tradition of great accompanists as well as being a wonderfully original soloist. He is such a rich and deeply-rooted musician in the great tradition of the piano but, of course, is always forward-thinking and forward-moving in his conception. What he brings to the ensemble is something that I'm always looking for, which is that dialogue and communication and interaction between the rhythm section and the horns when they're soloing. So Mulgrew was really the ideal pianist for me. It was a very great honor for me to have him involved in this music." Harland's ability to engage in dialogue with the rest of the musicians throughout the course of a given piece comes directly out of the great tradition of such highly interactive drummers as Roy Haynes, Tony Williams, and Jack DeJohnette, all of whom Holland has played and recorded with. "What Eric does is totally in touch with what's going on in the music and in touch with what I'm playing," says Dave. "Within the group there's always a dialogue going on within the rhythm section. I love that kind of thing. I love the sparring and the back and forth. For me, that's what it's all about. It's not just about a background rhythm section that's just laying down a sort of generic pad for soloists to play on. I like it to be a true conversation where the soloists get really inside the rhythm section."