CORCORAN HOLT

FREEDOM OF ART

Hothouse Music

Corcoran Holt, bass/keyboards/vocals/composer/arranger; Benito Gonzalez, piano; Kweku Sumbry, drums/Djembe; Stacy Dillard, tenor saxophone; Josh Evans, trumpet. GUEST MUSICIANS: Lewis Nash & Thomas Glass, drums; Seth Finch, keyboards; Kathy English Holt, Art Mekhi Holt, Sharp Radway & Rave G. Holt, vocals.

According to the liner notes, this album by bassist, composer, and arranger Corcoran Holt is a “Personal testimony made real.”  It’s a blend of artistic declaration, a dive into the principles of freedom, and an exploration of artistic innovation and expression.  It’s a nod to family, using a copy of his mother’s voicemail to open the album under the tune name of “Theme for Ma,” and other unexpected voice mails. His wife and other Holt members also sing on this recording.

The second tune “Breathe in Peace” becomes notes and chords strung together over Corcoran Holt’s repetitive bass line, a bass phrase strong and precious as copper wire. It holds this tune in perfect place. However, after a while, that repeated bass phrase does become a little bit too much for my ear. I find myself wishing this talented musician would deviate from his repetitive theme and give the arrangement something more. The cacophony of horn solos is exciting and exploratory. When Josh Evans steps out with his trumpet solo, he soaks up the spotlight. Then comes the bass line again, dancing beneath the impressive drum solo of Kweku Sumbry.

This is music that Corcoran Holt composed during the 2020 pandemic.  The “Transition Blues” is Track #2. It starts out with the spotlight bouncing off tenor saxophone giant, Stacy Dillard. His solo melts into an improvised solo by Josh Evans on trumpet. During this up-tempo, Straight-ahead piece of excellence, Benito Gonzalez is impressive and brilliant during his piano exploration.  Beneath it, the walking bass of Holt is busy and prevalent, strong and beautiful. Then he takes his own solo, pulling at the double bass strings like someone kneading bread. That’s when Sumbry’s drums soak up the spotlight, a rhythmic sponge that reflects light and energy.  This listener is blinded by his beauty.  Although this tune is over seven-minutes long, it’s never boring!

With this album, Corcoran Holt is endeavoring to show the world the importance of jazz as a vehicle of freedom. He has given the American music scene a gift, embracing experimentation, joy and hope inside his music.  The whole world has embraced the premise of jazz, a music born from a longing and determination to be free, uninhibited and creative in the face of oppression. It is America’s only original classical music, created by African American musicians to remind the world how music can bring change. This music blows a kiss to the ancestors, and offers a hand to steady and guide the young.

His bass solo on the Milt Jackson composition ”Hello” is absolutely spellbinding.

Holt closes with bass and poetry by his departed father, Ibrahim, who encouraged his son and the universe to find and follow their own truth.

“Travel life with confidence that you are on the right track,” he writes with encouragement.

This music is a reflection of that and more.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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