World Stars at Budapest Jazz Club: Dave Holland Trio

Dave Holland’s name is inseparably linked with the jazz music that defined the second half of the 20th century. He was barely in his twenties when Miles Davis discovered him in a London club and immediately invited him to the United States. That decision changed his life forever—and altered the course of modern jazz history as well, since Holland was the bassist on landmark recordings such as Bitches Brew. He went on to play an active role in the birth of the fusion genre and later became a key figure in the avant-garde jazz movement alongside Chick Corea and Anthony Braxton.

Yet Dave Holland did not remain a supporting player in the story of jazz—he established himself as a major bandleader in his own right. His trios, quintets, and octets have always featured carefully selected musicians, brought together in search of new sounds. His playing and compositions are defined by rhythmic complexity, harmonic richness, and an organic “flow” that has become his trademark. Now in his seventy-eighth year, this jazz icon has been performing since 1964. His two current bandmates, both around fifty, bring the perspective of a new generation to the stage.

 

Jaleel Shaw is one of the most exciting figures among the new generation of American alto saxophonists. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, he combines a strong theoretical foundation with exceptional emotional expressiveness and intellectual openness. Shaw has played alongside the likes of Roy Haynes and the Mingus Big Band. His improvisations are rooted in the tradition of classic hard bop, but he freely incorporates elements from modern jazz, soul, and hip-hop.

 

Nasheet Waits is one of the most versatile and sought-after drummers in contemporary jazz. The son of jazz drummer Freddie Waits, he was born into the world of jazz and has played in groups such as Jason Moran’s Bandwagon and the trio Tarbaby. Waits’ drumming is both intellectual and visceral: he can build finely nuanced textures while also unleashing energetic, groove-driven momentum. His stage presence is commanding in any ensemble—he doesn’t merely accompany but leads, responds, and continually opens up new musical spaces.

 

 

 

Dave Holland - bass, Jaleel Shaw - saxophone, Nasheet Waits - drum