An English gentleman to the end, jazz bassist Dave Holland has taken his time, slowly working his way from highly respected musician to mainstream jazz star. Holland's impressive credits as a sideman include being involved in Bitches Brew-era Miles Davis albums and starting the exploratory groups Circle and The Gateway Trio with such peers as Chick Corea, Anthony Braxton and John Abercrombie. As a group leader, Holland recorded primarily for the famed avant-garde jazz ECM label, but he also carries forward the traditions of big band swing and small group bop instead of pretending that they aren't important to him or to jazz (in this, he has much in common with drummer Elvin Jones and, especially, fellow bassist/composer/bandleader Charles Mingus). By the late 1990s, Dave Holland was enjoying major public recognition by jazz fans. The quiet, but obvious joy that Holland conveys playing music on CD and in concert settings is a big part of his success.