One of the most respected saxophonists in jazz since his arrival in the early ‘90s, Chris Potter has credits including Dave Holland, Steely Dan, and recently Pat Metheny Unity Band. He expands his eclectic Underground Quartet here to include a string quartet, two bassists, and vibes. While Potter generally stays within the language of bebop, he pushes into avant-garde (“Firefly”), electronic (“Sky”), and classical music (“Shadow Self”) as well. The four-part title piece is the cornerstone here: among other things, it deftly fuses the strings and the jazz-band sound together in a textured and cinematic way that's quite impressive.

Saxophonist Chris Potter honors the legacy of some of jazz's greats on Gratitude, his debut for Verve. The award-winning virtuoso and composer is compelling on his tributes to John Coltrane, Eddie Harris, Wayne Shorter, Charlie Parker, and several other legendary saxophonists. Gratitude contains nine original compositions written by Potter, who plays tenor saxophone on the majority of the songs, switches to soprano saxophone on "Eurydice," his tribute to Wayne Shorter, and plays the alto saxophone and Chinese wood flute on "Star Eyes," the tribute to Charlie Parker. Chris Potter is outstanding on bass clarinet on his composition "The Visitor" for Lester Young and captures the ambience that reflects the many styles of these accomplished players, including sliding from one note to a higher or lower note with intermediate pitches on "The Source," his tribute to the glissandi (sheets of sound) of John Coltrane, and capturing the dense, soulful sound of Joe Henderson on "Shadow." Gratitude also includes a song titled "What's New," for the current generation which completes the set. Potter, leading his great quartet of contemporaries — keyboardist Kevin Hayes, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade — makes a significant contribution to jazz history with this project and offers musical statements and voices that are truly varied in scope and deep in their essence.

Chris Potter (born January 1, 1971) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.
Potter came to prominence as a sideman with trumpeter Red Rodney, before stints with drummer Paul Motian, bassist Dave Holland, trumpeter Dave Douglas and others.

Chris Potter (born January 1, 1971) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.
Potter came to prominence as a sideman with trumpeter Red Rodney, before stints with drummer Paul Motian, bassist Dave Holland, trumpeter Dave Douglas and others.

Chris Potter (born January 1, 1971) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.
Potter came to prominence as a sideman with trumpeter Red Rodney, before stints with drummer Paul Motian, bassist Dave Holland, trumpeter Dave Douglas and others.

Once in a while, a jazz recording seems to announce itself as a "classic" from the first moment. Lost In A Dream is one such album. It documents the birth of a great new project, captured live at New York's celebrated Village Vanguard, with repertoire emphasizing Paul Motian's wonderful ballad writing. New Motian tunes are juxtaposed with older ones, and a free exploration of Irving Berlin's "Be Careful It's My Heart" completes a program distinguished by gloriously supple playing from all three participants who are in tune at a high level. Or, as the New York Times noted, reviewing the concerts from which this album was drawn: "The accumulated wisdom within the band was clear." Master drummer Motian (born 1931) is heard here with two much younger musicians: saxophonist Potter (born 1971, and with whom he shares already a long playing history), and pianist Moran (born 1975, with whom he had worked only once previously, in the context of a gig with violinist Jenny Scheinman in 2006). Motian noted Moran's particular idiosyncrasies and waited for the right context to deploy them, - he was especially taken with Moran's strong and active left hand figures which, in a trio context, could dispense with the necessity for a bassist. There is a cragginess in Jason Moran's piano playing that testifies to deep roots in Thelonious Monk, a quality that Motian - who played with Monk in the 1950s - was bound to identify with. Motian has a Monkish sense of stubborn independence: he remains the most unpredictable of drummers. In the flowing ballads of Lost In A Dream, Motian is as much a sound painter as a time-keeper. There is a lot of space in the music, used brilliantly by all three players. Chris Potter, long recognised as the one of the most outstanding saxophonists of his generation, delivers an extraordinarily inspired performance in the trio, playing with great emotional conviction. Each of the three musicians has a dedicated following. Moran's listenership has been expanded recently through much roadwork with Charles Lloyd's quartet (Lloyd's critically-hailed Rabo De Nube was Moran's ECM debut).

Circuits is the major new album from one of the most influential and inventive improvisors of his generation. Rooted in groove, with a new home at Edition Records, Chris Potter’s Circuits features keyboardist James Francies, drummer Eric Harland and bassist Linley Marthe.
For more than two decades, Chris Potter’s limitless creativity, effortless virtuosity and vibrant sense of swing has wowed critics, musicians and fans alike, who cite him as one of the most influential saxophonists and inventive improvisors of the modern day. His new album, Circuitsis immediate and uplifting, rooted in a strong sense of groove and intense improvisation. Featuring an all-star band of 23rd year keyboard and Blue Note Artist James Frances, drum virtuoso Eric Harland and bassist Linely Marthe. Blending a vibrant sound world of electronics, memorable hooky melodies and surprising turns of phrase, Circuits is sure to delight both the dedicated Potter fans and new listeners alike.
CHRIS POTTER tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinets, flutes, sampler, guitars, keyboards, and percussion
JAMES FRANCIES keyboards
ERIC HARLAND drums
LINLEY MARTHE electric bass (tracks 3, 4, 5 and 8)