Percussionist Mino Cinelu headed up a wonderful acoustic global fusion record back in 1995 entitled World Trio that also included Kevin Eubanks on guitar and Dave Holland on bass. It revealed another facet of Holland, who had no problem adapting his world-class bass playing to world rhythms and harmonies. Now, Holland finds himself in another trio in another luscious meeting of First World with Third World.
Good Hope is Dave Holland again stepping outside his comfortable jazz environs in an intimate setting among three virtuosos. But right there the similarities end because instead of a percussionist and guitarist, Holland is joined by a saxophonist (Chris Potter) and tabla player (Zakir Hussain). Potter has spent time with Holland lately, participating in the Holland/Potter/Lionel Louke/Eric Harland supergroup Aziza and playing alongside Dave Holland in Hussain’s recent ‘Crosscurrents’ large ensemble. The trio discussed here is a splinter group of that large band led by the tabla master of John McLaughlin’s Shakti, Planet Drum with the Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart and Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Harland.
So, perhaps this collaboration was destined to be.
It sure sounds that way. Everyone acts as near-equal partners in both harmony and rhythm. “Ziandi” is perfect symmetry; Potter’s sax showcase makes all the right moves and Holland is — as always — deep in the pocket, while Hussain is never overbearing but still sounds like he’s playing with six hands.
Dave Holland’s bass ruminations on “J Bhai” are imbued with rich Indian culture and when the pace picks up, Potter is there to ratchet up the fervor. Potter on soprano sax might be up front for “Lucky Seven,” but put on ear on the tight interplay between Hussain and Holland, it’s nearly clairvoyant…and funky, too. “Island Feeling” is a lazy romp but Hussain stays busy to keep the song going with a bounce in its step.
Holland dusted off an old favorite of his “Bedouin Trail” (from 1998’s Points of View) and used it for a perfect vehicle for trading fours with Hussain. “Good Hope” is the liveliest tune of the lot, all three pumping out the melody hard like a well-synchronized machine.
Hussain is elite among tabla players because he can take that instrument to unfamiliar place. On “Mazad,” he makes it resembles a kalimba, adding vivid tonal color that takes the music from India to Africa and back.
If you ever wondered if a sax/bass/tabla trio can make captivating music that shrugs off any attempt at classification, well it can. But only if the participants are really, really good. Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain and Chris Potter fit the bill.
Good Hope will go on sale October 11, 2019 from Edition Records
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