Bass Player: Dave Holland

Form the 2006 Dave Holland Quintet album ‘Critical Mass’, this is a transcription of the head and first (trombone) solo from the tune ‘Easy Did It’. It is a slow, somewhat funky tune which alternates between 3:4 and 5:4. Some interesting compositional devices are incorporated into the piece and it is distinctive Holland. The tune is relatively easy to read and relatively easy to play once you have got your head around the time but, as an exercise, it is a really good example of counting whilst you play. Almost every phrase starts on the first beat of the bar and the tempo is slow enough to allow the reader to think about the pulse as they process the details of the line.

This is only a partial transcription as the performance is over 11 minutes long and Bilbo’s tea was ready…..