Kenny Barron/Dave Holland Trio Releases “Without Deception”
Jazz icons Kenny Barron and Dave Holland have teamed up with Johnathan Blake for a debut trio recording called Without Deception. Barron and Holland, who are both NEA Jazz Masters, have worked together for nearly three decades but released their first duo album five years ago.
The intimate setting of a trio is appealing to Holland for a simple reason. “The humanity in it, of course,” he writes. “It’s the person that’s at the bottom of the whole thing, the feeling that they create in their music and the way they embrace the collaborative atmosphere.”
“I just love playing with Dave,” Barron adds. “He’s very interactive, and the groove always feels good. Johnathan’s a very exciting drummer, and never overbearing. It makes for a great conversation.”
Holland’s free and expressive playing permeates the record. He takes solos on most songs, but even in his supportive role, he gets creative. The bassist agrees that Blake’s addition to the music helped push it forward. “Having Johnathan there opened up some new possibilities,” he explains. “It’s a bit complicated to talk about because there are a lot of dynamics involved, but as a bass player, sharing the rhythmic and structural responsibilities with Johnathan was like having a big, soft cushion to land on. It was a very nice feeling.”
Hear their interplay on the uptempo “Speed Trap”:
Without Deception is available now on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).
Without Deception Track List:
- Porto Alegri
- Second Thoughts
- Without Deception
- Until Then
- Speed Trap
- Secret Places
- Pass It On
- Warm Valley
- I Remember When
- Worry Later
