Dave Holland Freedom Call Box Set Review
Dave Holland's Freedom Call is a landmark jazz box set celebrating the legendary bassist's 80th birthday, presenting live recordings from three of his finest groups. Released on Edition Records, this three-CD collection offers an essential window into decades of world-class jazz leadership and musicianship.
A Jazz Icon Turns 80: What Freedom Call Delivers
Freedom Call arrives as both a birthday tribute and a serious jazz document. Compiled from live recordings made across different eras of Holland's career, the set showcases his rare ability to build exceptional ensembles time and again. For fans of jazz news and new releases, this is one of the most significant archival packages in recent memory. Each disc captures a different group, a different sound, and a different chapter in Holland's story as a bandleader.
The Quintet Years: Chris Potter and Robin Eubanks at Their Peak
The first disc focuses on Holland's celebrated quintet from its final year in 2010, featuring Chris Potter on saxophone, Robin Eubanks on trombone, Steve Nelson on vibes, and Nate Smith on drums. By this point, Potter had fully come into his own as one of jazz's most commanding voices, and the interplay between all five musicians is breathtaking. Tracks regularly stretch past fifteen minutes, yet never lose momentum or direction. Holland's acoustic bass anchors everything with loose-limbed precision, driving the band without ever overpowering it.
Sextet and Prism: Two More Reasons This Set Stands Out
The sextet disc shines a light on a short-lived but deeply impressive group, with Mulgrew Miller's piano work emerging as an unexpected highlight across several tracks. The third disc shifts the mood entirely, documenting Prism, Holland's electric-leaning quartet with Craig Taborn, Kevin Eubanks, and Eric Harland. Drawing on jazz-rock textures and a freewheeling, exploratory approach, Prism sounds unlike anything else in Holland's catalogue. The emotional centrepiece is The Empty Chair, a deeply moving tribute to Holland's late wife that resonates long after the music ends.
Key Takeaways
Freedom Call is an outstanding celebration of one of jazz's most consistently brilliant careers. Whether you are a longtime fan or new to Holland's music, this box set rewards deep listening and stands as one of the finest jazz releases of the year.
Author: Sebastian Scotney
Source: UK Jazz News
Published: October 1, 2026
