For
Points of View,
Holland expands his group into a quintet, shakes up the remaining personnel, and comes up with a marvelous example of thoughtful, dynamically shifting ECM chamber jazz. The new wrinkles in the sound are the return of
Robin Eubanks on trombone, which gives the front line a richer, more balanced texture, and drummer
Billy Kilson, who displays a wider, more animated range of rhythmic sympathies than did
Gene Jackson on
Dream of the Elders.
Steve Nelson on vibes and marimba is the only returnee, and
Steve Wilson contributes a dry tone on both alto and soprano saxes. The elegant textures so typical of ECM belie considerable stylistic variety here, including a gentle reversion to the progressively funky Holland band of the '80s on "Metamorphos"; a happy-go-lucky, easy-swinging tribute to
Ray Brown, "Mr. B."; reflective, relaxed ballad work in "The Benevolent One," and
Nelson's charming calypso/folk lullaby for marimba, "Serenade." Of course,
Holland leaves himself a lot of solo space, which he fills with mobile eloquence. ~ Richard S. Ginell