Conference Of The Birds

Sound DNA

• Jazz
• Avant-Garde & Free Jazz

• sparse
• intense
• cerebral

About

Bassist Dave Holland is famous for his work with Miles Davis in the late ‘60s as well as for leading his own bands, which from the ‘80s onward have played a technically demanding brand of post-bop filled with strong melodies and imaginative but accessible arrangements. Yet people tend to forget that he began the ‘70s in the free-jazz supergroup Circle. Here on his 1973 debut as a leader, he calls upon Circle band members Anthony Braxton (horn) and Barry Altschul (drums) as well as regular employer Sam Rivers (horn) for an edgy and often-riveting set of material. In one respect it’s interesting to hear Holland rip through knotty material like “Interception” (and then put a solo on top of it), yet we also get early glimpses of that melodic ear in the folky, flute-driven title track and the slowly emerging “Now Here (Nowhere).” Those who are fans of Holland’s compositionally driven later material will likely dig the peppy “See-Saw” and odd-metered “Four Winds” too.

via Apple Music

Tracklist

Credits