James Holland

"The Art of Conversation" marks the first time bassist/composer Dave Holland and pianist/composer Kenny Barron have recorded their duo performances. These titans began touring together throughout Europe and the United States in 2012 and this album reflects two years of Holland and Barron finessing their empathy, chemistry and repertoire. Out of an expansive body of work that they’ve cultivated, "The Art of Conversation" offers 10 compositions of originals and standards that exemplify their individual and combined musical ingenuity.

The winner of the 1998 Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance. For this spectacular album, vibraphonist Gary Burton arranged the first recording encounter between pianist Chick Corea and guitarist Pat Metheny, and recruited an impeccable rhythm section staffed by bassist Dave Holland and drum legend Roy Haynes. "Like Minds" ranks among these musicians best work, with the kind of soul-deep communication that is often expected but so rarely occurs on all-star sessions.

American born conductor James Gaffigan is the Chief Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, and the Principal Guest Conductor of the ensemble featured here, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. The natural ease of his conducting and his compelling insight have brought him attention internationally. This is the second release in James Gaffigan’s projected Prokofiev symphony cycle, a series that suddenly finds itself one among many. It has many fine qualities even if the poised, somewhat cautious music-making eschews Soviet-era rawness.