Thompson Jazz Studies Combos

Combos from the Thompson Jazz Studies Program are joined by NEA Jazz Master Dave Holland, pianist and composer Nikki Illes, and trumpetist Nick Smart for a spectacular night of music. Featuring original compositions by Holland!

Dave Holland is a bassist, composer and bandleader whose passion for musical expression and dedication to creating consistently innovative music have propelled a professional career of more than 50 years, multiple Grammy awards and the title of NEA Jazz Master in 2017.

Holland stands as a guiding light on acoustic and electric bass, having grown up in an age when musical genres—jazz, rock, funk, avant-garde, folk, electronic music and others—blended freely together to create new musical pathways. He was a leading member of a generation that helped usher jazz bass playing from its swing and post-bop legacy to the vibrancy and multidiscipline excitement of the modern era, extending the instrument’s melodic, expressive capabilities. Holland’s virtuosic technique and rhythmic feel, informed by an open-eared respect of a formidable spread of styles and sounds, is widely revered and remains much in demand. To date, his playing can be heard on hundreds of recordings, with more than thirty as a leader under his own name.

From orchestras, bands and choirs to jazz, world music and opera to world-class faculty and guest performances, the CU Boulder College of Music brings hundreds of stunning performances to Boulder audiences throughout the academic year.

Performance date and time

Tuesday, April 25, 7:30 p.m. MDT
This performance will not be livestreamed.

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