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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Utterly Sublime, August 14, 2003
This is probably Holdsworth's best album, and his first to completely satisfy me, allowing me to finally cross over shamelessly into the fellowship of blathering fandom. Holdsworth's less endearing eccentricities are overshadowed here by the range of material which references free and hard-bop traditions at times, and by an exquisite sonic balance between the acoustic, electric and electronic elements of the music. Holdsworth was clearly seeking some kind of grounding in the underrated "None too Soon", emphasizing both his place in the jazz tradition and his predeliction for contemplative, "chamber-jazz". While that disc focused exclusively on both hard-bop and cool elements, thereby sounding somewhat forced to Holdsworth's fan base, "16 Men of Tain" showcases the impressionist side of guitar jazz in a handful of pieces that are alternately intellectual and pastoral, pieces that recall John Abercrombie and early Pat Metheny, but (IMHO) surpass anything by either of those very very important musicians in terms of sheer melodic attractiveness, structural elegance, and even expressiveness. "Above and Below" and "Eidolons", in particular, literally made me gasp when I first heard them. From what I have just gushed out, it should be obvious that Holdsworth is much more clearly grounded in this modern guitar tradition than with the one evinced on "None too Soon". However, to his credit, he balances out these pieces with others that recall his earlier albums (including "None too Soon). Thus there is a sense of variety here that is missing on many of his other records. This variety is also evident in the instrumentation of the album. Keyboards, digital and otherwise, are absent, replaced by acoustic bass and occaisionally trumpet (!). Holdsworth also plays much more undistorted electric guitar on this record than he has in the past. The guitar synthesizer does not dominate the procedings as was the case in other Holdsworth recordings. All these factors combine to make this the some of the most satisfying jazz music I've ever heard. Holdsworth's usual strengths are by no means diminished here. His compositions on a purely formal basis are on the level of Ellington or Mingus, and while most of the avant-garde has emphasized melody at the expense of harmony, Holdsworth revels in lush harmonies, rolling out entirely original chord progressions of stunning beauty with every record he makes. His famous technique is, of course, the main reason people listen to him. These assets have made Holdsworth's worst releases worth listening to, but now there is no question as to the one indispensable Holdsworth recording. The American release includes two previously unvailable tracks.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Come on Allen, your holding out on us!!, November 17, 2004
AH defies category, he is firstly a musician of the highest caliber. The depth of his composition is astounding. He has always pushed himself to the highest level and has never been satisfied. That hunger has allowed us fortunate listeners to enjoy an artist at the top of his form, yet always inspired in his continuance of evolution. And so 16 Men of Tain achieves what it sets out to do. A return to the apex, AH is in top form on this release, his sidemen for this outing truly add value to the tracks as only top-flight musicianship can. I appreciate the trip concept and the lack of keyboards although evident, is something of a relief, now one can sit back and listen to Mr. Holdsworth tonal pallet in it's purest form.
What we the listening aficionados MUST do is get the word out to all of our friends and associates. Champion this artistic giant. Purchase his products. Write to venues and associations to support his efforts.
There was a period an Allan's career when his work was going unnoticed and the artist was in dire circumstances. Thanks to good patrons and friends he was able to rebuild his production base and continue on. It's so wonderful to see his work succeed, especially in a "biz" which caters to mass-market appeal and not the vast musical palette, which is really out there beyond the corporate understanding. That is where the art and the artist dwell and that is where Allan Holdsworth has made his musical abode. The 16 Men of Tain shows us both the art and the artistry of Allan Holdsworth. Enjoy!
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
above the rest, June 25, 2003
If you enjoy virtuoso guitar solos with a fat, sustained tone, Holdsworth has no equal, not even a close second that I know of. (Take, for example, Holdsworth's partner on at least one recording, and the most-working fusion guitarist of all time: Frank Gambale; -THE- master of sweep picking,(probably the best right hand in the world with a flat pick). His work with Chick Corea requires his grasp of all music to be without peer; yet, to my ears, Holdsworth leaves him in the dust.) At times, it seems as though he might now know every possible combination of notes that will fit well over any given chord pattern; he certainly has the chops to fit them in perfectly. Although I'm mostly a fan of somewhat more 'down-home' styles,when I hear a blues player beef up his sustain and mids to try and 'modernize', I replace the cd with '16..', by the master of the concept, Holdsworth. I must add that I believe Gary Novak to be the most perfect drummer for AH; his relaxed power and seeming-four-handedness astound me more and more according to how much I focus on the drums, while he blends harmoniously into the band.
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~ Allan Holdsworth
~ Allan Holdsworth
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by Allan Holdsworth 
