Photo by Howard Gitelson
In 1997, Holland formed a new quintet with Steve Wilson (alto sax), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Steve Nelson (vibes), and Billy Kilson (drums), the group that evolved into his award-winning band, later with Chris Potter on tenor in place of Wilson (and Antonio Hart sometimes filling Potter's chair) and Nate Smith replacing Kilson on drums. Today Holland tours and records not only with this magical quintet, but with his 13-piece big band, which includes the quintet at its core. And he still finds time to tour and record with colleagues, with John Scofield, Joe Lovano and Al Foster in 2002 as Scolohofo, and in the past year with Geri Allen and in a quartet with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Brian Blade.

Holland's quintet has received accolades for one ECM recording after another-- Points of View  (1998), Prime Directive (2000), Not for Nothin' (2001) and the latest, the 2-disc Extended Play (2003). The recordings have variously received Grammy nominations, Best of Year awards from groups including Down Beat, Jazz Times, and the Jazz Journalists Association, while the quintet has similarly been honored with Best Small Ensemble or Acoustic Group awards from Down Beat, Jazz Times, Bell Atlantic, and the Jazz Journalists Association, among others. In 2000, Holland received an honorary doctorate from the Berklee School of Music.

"In my quintet," says Holland, "we all recognize there's a special quality to what we're doing. We're five people with complementary concepts who work cohesively... The rare opportunity to have a group with stable personnel over a relatively long period of time has given us a chance to explore these compositions beyond their beginnings and use them as a vehicle for our intuition and imagination." Notes Potter, "Dave approaches the band as something you wind up and let go...He's very curious to see how far we can take an idea and run with it."