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.

Steven Bernstein

Diaspora Suite

(Tzadik, 2008)

The vast gulf between what Sex Mob and Radical Jewish Culture sound like when spoken as phrases don’t really reflect the music. While Bernstein led Sex Mob, and they were quite gritty, the hard bop and free jazz influences were apparent.

The label, Tzadik, working with Bernstein, has created a trio of recordings that collect various Semitic scales, melodies and general Jew ephemera while combining each with a junky jazz feel that more easily recalls coffee shops than schul.

It’s hard to gauge the interests gentiles may have in this series. The line-up here does include guitarist Nels Cline, which should draw a few uninitiated listeners. Despite this recording’s obvious market, the entirety of the affair is well structured and played.

Every track is seemingly (I’ve been remiss in studying the Torah lately) named for the disparate Tribes of Israel. And perhaps that’s the only distinction that these tracks need. “Yis May Chu” is present in a funk-rock manner and is probably the most recognizable melody on here to those who attend temple on Fridays.

Beyond that though, these songs are structured in a fashion that increases the Semitic influence as each ensues. To begin the album, a guitar squeal flowers into the melody adding a ghostly texture to the traditional sounding progression and moving improvisational solos.

The improvisational aspect to this, and every Bernstein outing, pushes each track forward as the listener knowingly awaits whatever freedom the players can muster. That alone should be an incentive to listeners, but if not, just wait and Bernstein will probably be involved in another project not involving these particular religious or cultural aspects.