Prime Directive
Studio album by
the Dave Holland Quintet
Released4 October 1999
RecordedDecember 10–12, 1998 (1998-12-10 – 1998-12-12)
StudioAvatar, New York City
GenreJazz
Length1:16:43
LabelECM
ECM 1698
ProducerDave Holland
Dave Holland chronology
Points of View
(1998)		 Prime Directive
(1999)		 Not for Nothin'
(2001)
Dave Holland Quintet chronology
Points of View
(1998)		 Prime Directive
(1999)		 Not for Nothin'
(2001)

Prime Directive is an album by the Dave Holland Quintet recorded over three days in December 1998 and released on ECM October the following year.[1][2][3] The quintet features saxophonist Chris Potter, trombonist Robin Eubanks, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, and drummer Billy Kilson.

Title

Speaking with Innerviews, Holland explained:

It started with a conversation with my wife I had when we were just putting this band together. I had been in a few situations which were not really fun, but musically good. There were problems of one sort or another. I decided at this stage in my life that I wanted to enjoy music. I have to say one of the things that really influenced me is my time recently with Herbie Hancock. I’ve worked with him on and off from ’91 to ’96 in trio and quartet formats. Herbie enjoys himself whenever he plays. He has a lot of fun and it doesn’t stop him from being creative or playing amazingly inventively. That was when a sort of release occurred and a cognition formed. Until then, I took music quite seriously and was prepared to put up with certain things in order to have certain other things happen. Then I decided if I wasn’t enjoying myself, something was wrong and it had to be changed. And then it got to simplifying that statement into "If it’s not fun, we’ve got to do something different." Then I said to my wife "That’s got to be the prime directive of this band" and that’s how the whole thing got started.[4] (emphasis added)

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Tom HullA−[6]

In 2000 the Jazz Journalists Association honored the recording with their award Album of the Year.[7][8] The AllMusic review by Brian Bartolini awarded the album 4½ stars, stating:

Tremendous taste prevents Holland from making unsatisfying music. He is a great leader in the truest senses of the word—he gives his team space, trusts their abilities and judgment, yet all the while remains firmly in command and infuses the results with his own style and personality. Prime Directive is a wonderful jazz album. These 77 minutes and nine tracks do not cheat or disappoint... Prime Directive is recommended; a great leader is, indeed, hard to find.[5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dave Holland except as noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Prime Directive" 7:46
2."Looking Up" 13:32
3."Make Believe" 6:25
4."A Seeking Spirit"Robin Eubanks11:21
5."High Wire"Chris Potter6:49
6."Jugglers Parade" 8:14
7."Candelight Vigil"Steve Nelson4:51
8."Wonders Never Cease"Billy Kilson13:55
9."Down Time" 3:48

Personnel

Dave Holland Quintet

References

  1. ↑ ECM catalogue
  2. ↑ Hovan, C. Andrew (1 April 2000). "Dave Holland Quintet: Prime Directive". All About Jazz. allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "Dave Holland Discography". Jazz Disco. jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  4. ↑ Prasad, Anil (2000). "Dave Holland Fundamental truths". innerviews. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  5. 1 2 Bartolini, B. Allmusic Review accessed 19 October 2011.
  6. ↑ "Tom Hull: Grade List: Dave Holland". Tom Hull. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "Jazz Awards 2000 Winners: Coleman, Holland, Osby..." MTV. 26 June 2000. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  8. ↑ Mandel, Howard (25 June 2000). "Jazz Awards 2000 Winners". Jazz Journalists Association Library. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
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