Dave Holland – Bass

This one was a request from Paul Hornsby, an old friend from way back who I recently got back in touch with after a long time (see the track ‘After Dark’ in the ‘Bits and Bobs’ section on this website). We used to play together in the Cardiff based Julian Martin Quartet and Paul used to front an big band in the Newport area which I played with for several years – happy, happy days (Julian was the Best Man at my wedding and Paul took the photographs). This is a Dave Holland intro and the head part to the tune ‘Gentle Piece’ from the wonderful 1990 Kenny Wheeler album, ‘Music for Large and Small Ensembles’. A stunning recording which I have loved since it came out and Paul and I both got to see performed live at St. David’s Hall in Cardiff (although we did not know each other at that time and only found that out when discussing this transcription). The solo intro is played freely and there is no ‘time’ in the normal sense of the word so treat the transcription as a guide only and not a performance instruction. The head is a simple repeating phrase which underpins Wheeler’s exquisite arrangements and Norma Winstone’s wordless vocal. It’s all relatively playable.