Prism (Dave Holland album)

Prism is a studio album by English jazz bassist Dave Holland.[8] The record was released via the Dare2 label on September 2, 2013.[9][10] This album is a milestone of Dave Holland's career as a leader—the forty year anniversary of his debut, free jazz album Conference of the Birds released in 1973.[11] Prism contains nine original compositions written by bandmembers.

Prism
Studio album by
Dave Holland
ReleasedSeptember 2, 2013
RecordedAugust 9–10, 2012
StudioSear Sound
GenreJazz
Length1:10:00
LabelDare2
ProducerDave Holland, Louise Holland
Dave Holland chronology
Hands
(2010)		 Prism
(2013)		 The Art of Conversation
(2014)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz[1]
Allmusic[2]
The Daily Telegraph[3]
The Guardian[4]
Jazzwise[5]
PopMatters[6]
Tom HullB+[7]

Reception

John Fordham of The Guardian noted "The great double bassist and bandleader Dave Holland and his star-packed Prism quartet reveal a considerably louder, bluesier identity than his other tight-knit acoustic outfits over the past 30 years. With guitarist Kevin Eubanks relishing his return to the jazz spotlight after a long stint on the Tonight Show, the brilliant Craig Taborn switching between acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, Charles Lloyd drummer Eric Harland playing updated jazz-rock patterns with a ferocious relish, and everybody contributing tunes, this band has a one-for-all collective drive that's already generating album-of-the-year mutterings".[4] Lloyd Sachs of JazzTimes commented "You get the feeling, hearing the quartet put a sonic charge in the tune, that they have been itching to loosen their ties stylistically-particularly Holland, who is known for dotting i’s and crossing t’s in arranging for his stellar acoustic bands, and Eubanks, after 15 years of buttoning down as leader of the Tonight Show Band".[12]

Will Layman of PopMatters stated "It’s a great record. Part of what makes Prism sound specifically like “fusion” is the preponderance of tunes that do not “swing” in the usual sense but are instead built on tricky riffs that interlock with a groove that is heavy on backbeat. The opener, Eubanks’ “The Watcher”, begins with a funky line from the left hand of Taborn's Fender Rhodes electric piano, and then Eubanks doubles it before he climbs on top with a distorted but very simple melody. The sound is thick with fuzz and buzz from both Eubanks and Taborn. All of it would make for a satisfying track, but then a tricky and precise bridge section comes along for pleasing relief. Taborn's solo is the standout here: mathematical and intriguing as it moves and reverses, surges forward and doubles-back on itself".[6] Doug Colette writing for Glide Magazine commented, "The line between composition and improvisation becomes increasingly blurred as the album plays, illustrating how ideal is the name of this unit: as with the tool that simultaneously unifies and splits light, this group manages to play together and solo in such a way the distinction blurs between those two approaches as well."[13]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Watcher"Eubanks6:56
2."The Empty Chair (For Clare)"Holland8:31
3."Spirals"Taborn8:46
4."Choir"Harland4:49
5."The Color of Iris"Eubanks7:27
6."A New Day"Holland7:51
7."The True Meaning of Determination"Taborn9:19
8."Evolution"Eubanks10:24
9."Breathe"Harland5:40
Total length:01:10:00

Personnel

Band

Production

  • Kevin Byrd – artwork
  • Susan Archie – design
  • James Farber – engineer
  • Chris Allen – assistant engineer
  • Ted Tuthill – assistant engineer
  • Louise Holland – executive producer
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • Ulli Gruber – photography

References
  1. KELMAN, JOHN (September 11, 2013). "Dave Holland: Prism". All About Jazz. allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. Collar, Matt. "Prism by Dave Holland". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  3. Hewett, Ivan (8 July 2014). "Dave Holland's Prism, Ronnie Scott's Club, London: review". The Telegraph. telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  4. Fordham, John (24 October 2013). "Dave Holland, Prism - Review". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  5. Nicholson, Stewart (October 2013). "Review". Jazzwise. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  6. LAYMAN, WILL (4 September 2013). "Dave Holland, Prism - Review". popmatters.com. Retrieved 2015-08-03.
  7. "Tom Hull: Grade List: Dave Holland". Tom Hull. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  8. "Dave Holland's 'Prism' Goes To 11, Elegantly". NPR. October 1, 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  9. "Dave Holland - Prism". discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  10. Whitehead, Kevin (October 1, 2013). "Dave Holland's 'Prism' Goes To 11, Elegantly". npr.org. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  11. AARON, S. VICTOR (August 26, 2013). "Dave Holland, with Kevin Eubanks, Craig Taborn and Eric Harland – Prism (2013)". somethingelsereviews.com. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  12. Sachs, Lloyd (1 November 2013). "Dave Holland Prism: Prism". JazzTimes. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  13. Colette, Doug (28 May 2014). "WILL BERNARD, AHMAD JAMAL, NEW GARY BURTON QUARTET, DAVE HOLLAND, MARNIX BUSTRA (ALBUM REVIEWS)". Glide Magazine. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
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