Dave Holland Quintet – Critical Mass (Sunnyside Communications, 2006)
There’s a difference in sound quality that one can hear when listening to the horn tonality and general overall production in jazz from previous eras and current technologies. Rudy van Gelder recorded jazz masterpieces in his living room for Blue Note Records for long enough to make current recording procedures seem rather ridiculous. And while this Dave Holland lead group most certainly sounds slicker and well produced than bands from decades ago the recording sports good players and polished production. Critical Mass is comprised of original tunes from each member of the group and is still able to maintain a certain kind of cohesive feel that makes the album sensible. More often than not the main statements in each track are standard in nature, but occasionally the soloists have a chance to get free. On “Vicissitudes” a Latin tinged melody and rhythm is exploited by Chris Potter as his sax gets a good work out. Apart from Holland himself, who shares as much space on bass as any melodic instrument, Steve Nelson and his vibes really go a long way to making this album distinctive. From the first track, “The Eyes Have It” to “Secret Garden” the vibes go off on some tangential journey, but Nelson always has the sense to regroup and come back from that place he goes amidst the solos. A well rehearsed group on Critical Mass makes listening more interactive than on normal albums, even if the production values are more pop related than jazz.
