Bassist Dave Holland's problem is that the bar is too damn high, and it was he that put it there.

Since his early days with Miles Davis, and his trailblazing groups with Steve Coleman in the '80s, Holland has been regarded by many as the finest bassist in jazz.

But now, entering his seventh decade, the pace of creativity has slowed and none of his recent outings pack the creative punch of earlier albums. But it would be churlish not to acknowledge one of the finest ensembles in jazz, still clearing the bar by anyone else's standards.

Cormac Larkin