Dave Holland Trio, led by the legendary British bassist and composer Dave Holland, brings together saxophonist Jaleel Shaw and drummer Nasheet Waits in a formation that combines deep jazz tradition with modern sophistication. They never fail to show the technically advanced and emotional jazz and came back to Stockholm for this year’s festival to share their music with us once again.
Being the first artists in my nine days at the Festival to show up on stage on time, the Dave Holland Trio immediately established a sense of professionalism and clarity. There is no need to keep the audience lingering to build anticipation – if people liked them, it was because they were good, not because they waited too long.
The trio’s flow could be described as a triple dance (a gentle nod to Holland’s song) – balanced, mature yet never boring. In fact, nothing was boring about the Dave Holland Trio performance at all. Picture this: Nasheet Waits on drums steady and deliberate, Jaleel Shaw on saxophone, accentuating with a classy self-forgetful fleur, and Dave Holland on bass shining through the foundations. Together, they created a meditative symbiosis of classic composition and playful interaction.
Particularly, in Rivers Run, dedicated to Sam Rivers, the late American singer and bassist, one could really marvel at the soloing component: a beautiful bass solo scattering glittering sprinkles everywhere and a well-paced, carefully crafted drum solo. As a trio, they are a textbook example of the art of playing low – there is no need to shout to be heard. A standing ovation at the end of the concert was living proof of it.
If we look at other areas where the subtle approach is key, let’s take cooking, for example. The final dish is a careful connection of different elements that complement each other without overpowering. Same with Dave Holland Trio, it’s like a perfectly balanced layered cocktail: even if you stripped it down, you would still recognise the core spirit that holds it all together. That is because the foundation is intact even if you remove elements.
Approaching their jazz from the taste perspective, umami is the right comparison here – it embodies this fleeting savoury lingering sensation of something worth exploring. The Dave Holland Trio are seasoned musicians who have already proved themselves to everyone – now they can just enjoy their art and share their expertise with the rest of us.
Featured photo by: Ullli Gruber
