DAVE HOLLAND QUARTET - Extensions (1989) APE (image+.cue), lossless

For this tight and enjoyable quartet date, bassist Dave Holland spread the composing opportunities around, his sidemen accounting for four of the six pieces. Arguably, none of these musicians ever sounded better, or more adventurous, than when performing in Holland's bands. While the leader himself retreated a good deal from his more routinely avant-garde recordings of the '70s, he appeared unwilling to allow his younger compadres to simply coast, instead evoking probing and thoughtful playing from them. Altoist Steve Coleman derives particular benefit from Holland's supervision, sounding far more fluid and confident than own his own rather more stilted albums. The pieces follow a general head-solos-head format, though with substantial elasticity and enough variation that no sense of sameness settles in. Holland, of course, is masterful throughout, and one can easily imagine simply listening exclusively to his basslines, the amazing imagination they convey, and being very satisfied. One of his better albums from this period, Extensions should please any Holland fan, and is an agreeable and non-threatening jumping in point for the curious. by Brian Olewnick  
Tracklist :
1     Nemesis    11:36
Kevin Eubanks
2     Processional    7:21
Dave Holland
3     Black Hole    10:15
Steve Coleman
4     The Oracle    14:37
Dave Holland
5     101° Fahrenheit (Slow Meltdown)    4:56
Steve Coleman
6     Color of Mind    10:11
Kevin Eubanks
Credits :
Bass – Dave Holland
 Drums – Marvin "Smitty" Smith
 Guitar – Kevin Eubanks
 Producer – Manfred Eicher
 Saxophone – Steve Coleman