Dave Holland (bassist)
A bassist of profound melodic and rhythmic invention who became a cornerstone of jazz's avant-garde and a revered bandleader for half a century.
Born 1946 (age 80)·British jazz musician·Birthday: October 1·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dave Holland's sound—deep, resonant, and unmistakably singing—has been a guiding force in jazz since the late 1960s. Discovered by Miles Davis in a London club, he was whisked to New York to play on landmark albums like 'In a Silent Way' and 'Bitches Brew,' holding his own amid electric ferment. But Holland's true path was as a pioneer of creative, acoustic ensemble work. He was a pivotal member of Circle and the Sam Rivers trio, environments that fueled his exploratory spirit. In the 1980s, he began leading his own groups, from quintets to big bands, celebrated for their intricate compositions, democratic interplay, and a seamless blend of structure and freedom. As a mentor and a player, Holland has shaped the language of modern jazz with unwavering integrity and a boundless creative appetite.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dave was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dave Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Dave's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played double bass on Miles Davis's seminal fusion albums 'In a Silent Way' (1969) and 'Bitches Brew' (1970).
- Won multiple Grammy Awards, including for his 1999 big band album 'What Goes Around'.
- Founded his own record label, Dare2 Records, in 2005 to maintain artistic control over his work.
Did You Know?
He taught himself to play bass using a homemade instrument crafted from a door and a single string.
Holland was a member of the avant-garde quartet Circle with Chick Corea, Barry Altschul, and Anthony Braxton.
He is also an accomplished cellist and occasionally performs and records on the instrument.
“The music tells you what to do. You have to be listening to what's happening around you and respond to that.”
