December 30, 2009

Dave Holland Quintet headlines Purdue Jazz Fest

The performance, scheduled for 8 p.m. Jan. 22 in Stewart Center's Loeb Playhouse, is presented by Purdue Convocations as part of the Purdue Jazz Festival, Convocations' annual collaboration with Purdue University Bands. The festival, which runs Jan. 20-24, brings more than 2,000 middle and high school students to campus for clinics and concerts with noted jazz artists and clinicians.

The event includes a pre-show discussion let by Don Seybold, jazz expert and former associate director of Convocations, who will discuss how Dave Holland's choices in group configuration, instrumentation and composing practices are a prototype for postmodern jazz practice. The talk will take place at 7 p.m. in Stewart Center, Room 318.

One of the most celebrated jazz musicians of his generation, Holland began to achieve acclaim in the 1960s backing up such legends as Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis (during the landmark "Bitches Brew" and "In a Silent Way" sessions), Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.

Venturing out on his own, Holland then took up the role of bandleader, leading two of the most vibrant groups in jazz: the Dave Holland Quintet and the Dave Holland Big Band. He has collaborated in two of the top jazz collectives of the decade: the ScoLoHoFo quartet comprised of Holland, John Scofield, Joe Lovano and Al Foster and the Herbie Hancock-piloted all-star quartet including Wayne Shorter and Brian Blade.

In recent years, his recording career has continued to flourish with such milestone albums as his quintet CD, "Extended Play: Live at Birdland" (2003) and two Grammy-winning big band discs, "What Goes Around" (2002) and the potent follow-up "Overtime" (2005). Continuing this creative streak into 2006, Holland released a new quintet album, "Critical Mass." The album is the first new studio recording by the Dave Holland Quintet to be released in over five years and marks drummer Nate Smith's debut recording with the band

Holland also is celebrated as a composer, and the quintet's performance at Purdue will feature his inventive explorations of swing, blues, modern, and free jazz.

Tickets are $30 for adults and $22 for children 18 years and younger, Purdue students and Ivy Tech Lafayette students. Tickets are available at the Elliott Hall and Stewart Center box offices at 765-494-3933 or 800-914-SHOW. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster outlets. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more can be ordered at (765) 496-1977.

Initiated in 1902, Purdue Convocations is among the oldest collegiate professional performing arts presenters in the United States. Each year, Convocations offers the region 30 to 40 performances of widely varying genres: Broadway-style shows, theater, dance, children's theater, world music, jazz, and chamber music, along with rock, pop, country and comedy attractions. With a vision for connecting artists and audiences in artistic dialogue and for drawing in academic discourse, Purdue Convocations aims to promote frequent exposure to and familiarity with human cultural expression in a multitude of forms and media.

Writer:  Abby Eddy, (765) 494-5045, aeeddy@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: Publication-quality photos can be found at: https://www.purdue.edu/convocations/showPhotos.asp?ID=17

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