When the Big Band Swings Past Midnight
Overtime captures Holland's big band at full strength, swinging hard and refusing to clock out early.
Dave Holland's Overtime arrived at a moment when big band jazz felt like heritage music, something you studied rather than lived. Holland had other ideas. This is his big band working at peak energy, and the album justifies every minute of its runtime. The band swings throughout — not in that polished, retrospective way, but with genuine momentum and invention. Holland assembled strong soloists and gave them room to breathe, which is what you want from big band recordings. Too many contemporary large ensembles sound cautious, worried about maintaining control. This one doesn't. The charts are substantial without being show-offy, and the ensemble feels locked in across the board.
If you've heard Holland's work leading smaller groups, you know his taste in composers and his ear for balance. Overtime extends those strengths to sixteen pieces and doesn't lose focus. This is not a departure for him — he'd been leading the big band for years by this point — but rather a statement that the format still had things to say when treated seriously. The album won a Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2005, which is the kind of recognition that sometimes feels beside the point, except here it mattered because it meant people actually heard this record.
Start here if you want to hear contemporary big band jazz that doesn't apologize for itself. It's direct, well-played, and genuinely swinging. Not every track will stick with you equally, but the batting average is high enough that you'll want to return to it. This is solid, professional big band work done by people who clearly know what they're doing.
Who's playing
Dave Hollanddouble bass
Mark Grossalto saxophone
Chris Pottertenor saxophone
Gary Smulyanbaritone saxophone
Jonathan Aronstrombone
Robin Eubankstrombone
Josh Rosemantrombone
Billy Kilsondrums
Steve Nelsonpercussion
Duane Eubanksbrass
Antonio Hartwoodwind
Taylor Haskinsbrass
Alex Sipiaginbrass
Where next?
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
