Dave Holland feat. Evan Parker, Craig Taiborn and Ches Smith - Uncharted Territories (2018)

Bassist Dave Holland has a deep avant-garde pedigree, though he’s done free playing only sparingly in recent years. This double-album reunion with saxophonist and fellow Brit Evan Parker couldn’t be a happier surprise. Throw in innovative players like pianist Craig Taborn and percussionist Ches Smith, and the music gets surreal and engrossing. The quartet plays six pieces but also splits off into every smaller combination. It’s a program of ceaseless textural flux, from busy free-jazz skirmishes to abstract sonic landscapes.

Dave Holland, double bass
Evan Parker, saxophones
Craig Taborn, piano
Ches Smith, drums, percussion