Biography
Saxophonist Chris Potter has been pushing the limits of the saxophone since his entrance to the jazz scene. Potter created the Underground band as a vehicle for his explorations in improvisation and composition. Though the band has only been around for a short time, it has proven to be one of the most engaging and far-reaching ensembles around. The new recording, Follow the Red Line, documents the band in its element, a live performance at the famed Village Vanguard, and expands upon their previous release, Underground (Sunnyside 2006). The band consists of young stalwarts Craig Taborn (keyboards), Adam Rogers (guitar) and Nate Smith (drums). This recording serves as a perfect expose of Potter’s prowess as composer and performer. “…easily the most compelling saxophonist of his generation.” -Detroit Free Press Born in Chicago on New Year’s Day 1971 and moving to Columbia, South Carolina as an infant, the prodigious youngster began fooling around on guitar and piano at the age of three. He took up the alto sax at the age of ten and played on his first jazz gig at the age of 13. But his eclectic musical education really began with his personal investigation of his parents’ record collection. Spanning everything from Bach to Schoenberg, and gamelan music to the Beatles, Chris explored it all avidly, taking a special interest in albums by Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck. When piano legend Marian McPartland first heard Chris at 15 years old (an encounter that eventually led to his contract with Concord Records in 1994), she told his father that Chris was ready for the road with a unit such as Woody Herman’s. But finishing school was a priority and by the time he graduated, he was playing alto, tenor and soprano saxophone, bass clarinet and alto flute. At 18 Potter moved to New York to study at the New School, and then Manhattan School of Music. There he formed a lasting friendship with one of his professors, pianist Kenny Werner, later making a duet recording together. He also re-connected with trumpet great Red Rodney, with whom he had played earlier at a jazz festival in Columbia. He spent four important years with Rodney, honing his skills at the side of the bebop heavyweight, until shortly before Red’s passing in 1994. Graduating from Manhattan in 1993, Potter began a long series of sideman activities with top names like the Mingus Big Band, Paul Motion, Ray Brown, Jim Hall, James Moody, Dave Douglas, Mike Mainieri and many more. After playing on Marian McPartland’s 1993 Concord recording, In My Life, the adventurous saxophonist became a surprising member of the Concord roster, eventually recording five CDs for the label, as well as the aforementioned duo with Werner. His final Concord CD, 1998’s Vertigo, was named one of the year’s top ten CDs by both Jazziz and The New York Times. Chris also performed on Steely Dan’s Grammy-nominated, gold album Two Against Nature, touring with them in 1994, which also resulted in the live CD, Alive in America. Potter received his own Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Jazz Solo for his work on Joanne Brackeen’s Pink Elephant Magic. And he’s the youngest recipient ever to receive the annual Danish Jazzpar Prize. Although he’s performed extensively with the incredible bassist/composer Dave Holland’s various ensembles, Potter has been performing all over the world with his own groups since the release of Gratitude early 2001. He has performed all over Europe (including Paris, London, Florence and the North Sea Festival), Canada (festivals in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver) and in top clubs in the U.S. as well as a featured performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Following a European tour with Steve Swallow’s Trio in December 2001, Potter recorded Traveling Mercies in January, 2002, before taking his quartet out on a West Coast tour in February. In March and April, he toured the U.S. with Holland’s and Dave Douglas’ quintets respectively, and in the fall, he began his extensive touring with his own group, working throughout the U.S. in September and October, and in Europe during November and December.
Multi-reedman/composer Chris Potter is often cited by critics, musicians, and a steadily increasing number of fans as the finest saxophonist of his generation. Like most young jazz musicians, Chris is well schooled in the masters. His critically acclaimed 2001 album, Gratitude (Verve) pays tribute to many of those titans who’ve influenced him, including John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Eddie Harris, Wayne Shorter, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ornette Coleman and Charlie Parker. But like many other of his contemporaries in and out of jazz, Chris’ musical influences come from many and varied sources.
Along with limitless creativity, a vibrant sense of swing, and a full awareness of past, present and future, that broad-based musical sensibility has brought Chris into the line of vision of a diverse and heady array of artists, including James Moody, Jim Hall, Marian McPartland, Dave Douglas, Larry Carlton, Steely Dan, and Dave Holland, with whom Chris has been performing regularly since 1999. “Each band leader, each great musician I’ve had the chance to work with has inspired me in a certain way...Without all those experiences I don’t think I’d be ready to be doing this now.”
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