Prime Directive
Bassist Dave Holland has always brought top-shelf bands to the stage, and the quintet onPrime Directiveis no exception. SaxophonistChris Potteris on board, replacingSteve Wilsonand linking arms with trombonistRobin Eubanks, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, and drummer Billy Kilson. Together, the quintet performs phenomenally tight on their complex charts, with Kilson playing matchmaker between the complicated orchestrations and the deceptively simple-sounding melodies. Holland has his customary rumble, packed with precision and a peerless sense of forward direction. Five of the tunes are the leader's, all of them highlighted by ECM records' crystalline production aesthetic. Eubanks and Potter take flighty, heady solos and play unison lines with Nelson's vibes, marking a middle ground that's both a center of focus and a curious light shining back on the rest of the band. Aside from Holland's five compositions, each band member also adds one of his own tunes, making the album at once diverse and remarkably coherent.--Andrew Bartlett