Chris Potter (jazz saxophonist)
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.
Biography
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Potter spent most of his childhood in Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
where his mother taught psychology at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. He exhibited an early interest in all kinds of music and quickly became a prodigy, mastering several instruments including guitar and piano, and finally gravitating toward the alto
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
and tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
. Potter played his first professional jazz gig at age 13 and quickly developed a devoted local following. He attended college in New York City, first at the New School, and later at Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
.
Potter has released a number of albums as leader and has performed and recorded with many leading musicians including Patricia Barber
Patricia Barber
-Discography:* Split Premonition Records * Distortion of Love Antilles * Cafe Blue Blue Note, Premonition Records * Modern Cool Blue Note, Premonition Records...
, Kenny Werner
Kenny Werner
Kenny Werner is an American jazz pianist.-Biography:Kenny Werner is a world-class pianist and composer. His prolific output of compositions, recordings and publications continue to impact audiences around the world....
, Red Rodney
Red Rodney
Robert Roland Chudnick , who performed by the stage name Red Rodney, was an American bop and hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
, Marian McPartland
Marian McPartland
Margaret Marian McPartland, OBE is an English-born jazz pianist, composer, writer, and the host of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on National Public Radio, NPR.-Early life:...
, the Mingus Big Band
Mingus Big Band
The Mingus Big Band is an ensemble, based in New York City, that specializes in the compositions of the late Charles Mingus. It is managed by his widow, Sue Mingus and represented by Tree Lawn Artists, Inc.. In addition to its weekly Monday night appearance at the Jazz Standard in New York City,...
, Paul Motian
Paul Motian
Stephen Paul Motian was an American jazz drummer, percussionist and composer of Armenian extraction.He first came to prominence in the late 1950s in the piano trio of Bill Evans, and later led several groups...
, Ray Brown
Ray Brown (musician)
Raymond Matthews Brown was an American jazz double bassist.-Biography:Ray Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had piano lessons from the age of eight. After noticing how many pianists attended his high school, he thought of taking up the trombone, but was unable to afford one...
, Jim Hall
Jim Hall (musician)
James Stanley Hall is an American jazz guitarist.-Biography:Educated at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Hall moved to Los Angeles where he began to attract national, and then international, attention in the late 1950s...
, James Moody
James Moody (saxophonist)
James Moody was an American jazz saxophone and flute player. He was best known for his hit "Moody's Mood for Love," an improvisation based on "I'm in the Mood for Love"; in performance, he often improvised vocals for the tune.-Biography:James Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia...
, Dave Douglas
Dave Douglas (trumpeter)
Dave Douglas is an American jazz trumpeter and composer whose music derives from many non-jazz musical styles, including classical music, folk music from European countries and Klezmer. He has been a member of the experimental big band Orange Then Blue...
, Joe Lovano
Joe Lovano
Joseph Salvatore "Joe" Lovano is a post bop jazz saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer. Since the late 1980s, Lovano has been one of the world's premiere tenor saxophone players, earning a Grammy award and several nods on Down Beat magazine's critics' and readers' polls...
, Wayne Krantz
Wayne Krantz
Wayne Krantz is an American jazz fusion guitarist. He has played with top artists such as Steely Dan, Michael Brecker, Billy Cobham, and others, but is most active as a solo performer.-Biography:...
, Mike Mainieri
Mike Mainieri
Michael T. Mainieri, Jr. is a vibraphonist best known for his work with the jazz fusion group Steps Ahead....
, Steve Swallow
Steve Swallow
Steve Swallow is a jazz double bass and bass guitarist and composer born in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.One of the leading bassists in jazz, Swallow is noted for collaborations with Jimmy Giuffre, Gary Burton and Carla Bley...
, Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
, Dave Holland
Dave Holland
Dave Holland is an English jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has lived in the United States for 40 years....
, Joanne Brackeen
Joanne Brackeen
Joanne Brackeen is an American jazz pianist and music educator.-Biography:She was born Joanne Grogan in Ventura, California. She attended the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, but devoted herself to jazz by imitating Frankie Carle albums...
, Adam Rogers
Adam Rogers
Adam Rogers is an American guitarist specializing in post bop, contemporary jazz, and classical music. Rogers has had a prolific and extensive session history as a recording guitarist having played on over 150 commercially released recordings...
and many more.
His 1998 CD Vertigo was named one of the year's top ten jazz CDs by both Jazziz magazine and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo has been awarded since 1959. Before 1979 the award title did not specify instrumental performances and was presented for instrumental or vocal performances...
for his work on the Joanne Brackeen
Joanne Brackeen
Joanne Brackeen is an American jazz pianist and music educator.-Biography:She was born Joanne Grogan in Ventura, California. She attended the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, but devoted herself to jazz by imitating Frankie Carle albums...
recording Pink Elephant Magic. His 2004 CD Lift: Live At The Village Vanguard
Village Vanguard
The Village Vanguard is a jazz club located at in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. At first, it also featured other forms of music such as folk music and beat poetry, but it switched to an all-jazz format in 1957.-History:Over 100 jazz...
was named one of the year's ten best new jazz recordings by Fred Kaplan of Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
. His 2006 release, Underground, on which he records with an electric, more "groove"-based ensemble featuring Craig Taborn
Craig Taborn
Craig Taborn is an American keyboardist and composer. Playing piano, organ, and Moog synthesizer, Taborn has worked mostly in jazz, although he also does dark ambient and techno music....
on keyboard; Wayne Krantz
Wayne Krantz
Wayne Krantz is an American jazz fusion guitarist. He has played with top artists such as Steely Dan, Michael Brecker, Billy Cobham, and others, but is most active as a solo performer.-Biography:...
on guitar; Nate Smith on drums and Adam Rogers
Adam Rogers
Adam Rogers is an American guitarist specializing in post bop, contemporary jazz, and classical music. Rogers has had a prolific and extensive session history as a recording guitarist having played on over 150 commercially released recordings...
, guitar on tracks 6 and 9), was followed closely by the 2007 release Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard, featuring Adam Rogers
Adam Rogers
Adam Rogers is an American guitarist specializing in post bop, contemporary jazz, and classical music. Rogers has had a prolific and extensive session history as a recording guitarist having played on over 150 commercially released recordings...
on all six of its tracks. Another Underground group recording was released in 2009, Ultrahang.
As leader
- Presenting Chris Potter (1994, Criss Cross JazzCriss Cross JazzCriss Cross Jazz is a Dutch jazz record label, specializing in American jazz.Criss Cross was founded in 1980 by Gerry Teekens, a drummer and German professor. The label, which releases about 20 albums per year, is noted for its simple, block-color cover art...
) with John Swana, Kevin HaysKevin HaysKevin Hays is a jazz pianist. He was raised in Greenwich, ConnecticutHe is known for the Kevin Hays Trio and being in the Bill Stewart Trio....
, Christian McBrideChristian McBrideChristian McBride is an American jazz bassist. His father, Lee Smith, and his great uncle, Howard Cooper, are well known Philadelphia bassists who served as McBride's early mentors...
, & Lewis NashLewis NashLewis Nash is an American jazz drummer. According to Modern Drummer magazine, Nash has one of the longest discographies in jazz. and has played on over 400 records by musicians, earning him the honor of being named Jazz's Most Valuable Player by the magazine in it's May, 2009 issue... - Concentric Circles (1994, Concord RecordsConcord RecordsConcord Records is a U.S. record label now based in Beverly Hills, California. Originally known as Concord Jazz, it was established in 1972 as an off-shoot of the Concord Jazz Festival in Concord, California by festival founder Carl Jefferson, a local automobile dealer and jazz fan who sold his...
) - Sundiata (1995, Criss Cross) with Kevin Hays, Doug Weiss, & Al FosterAl FosterAl Foster is an American jazz drummer. Foster played with Miles Davis's large funk fusion group in the 70s, was one of the few people to have contact with Miles during his retirement, and was also part of his comeback album The Man With the Horn of 1981...
- PurePure (Chris Potter album)Pure is a studio album from saxophonist Chris Potter released 1994 for Concord Records. Appearing on the album is frequent collaborator John Hart on guitar, in addition to pianist and organist Larry Goldings...
(1995, Concord) - Moving In (1996, Concord) with Brad MehldauBrad MehldauBrad Mehldau is an American jazz pianist. Besides leading his own group, the Brad Mehldau Trio, he has performed with many renowned artists, including Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter, Larry Grenadier, Peter Bernstein, Jeff Ballard, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Kurt...
, Larry GrenadierLarry GrenadierLarry Grenadier is an American jazz double bassist.His father, Albert, was a trumpet player, and his two brothers, Phil and Steve, would eventually play trumpet and guitar respectively. Grenadier too began on trumpet when he was 10 years old. His father taught him to read music and gave him his...
, & Billy HartBilly HartWilliam "Billy" Hart is a jazz drummer and educator who has performed with some of the most important jazz musicians in history.-Biography:Early on Hart performed in Washington, D.C... - Unspoken (1997, Concord) with John ScofieldJohn ScofieldJohn Scofield , often referred to as "Sco," is an American jazz guitarist and composer, who has played and collaborated with Miles Davis, Dave Liebman, Joe Henderson, Charles Mingus, Joey Defrancesco, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Pat Martino, Mavis Staples, Phil Lesh, Billy Cobham,...
, Dave HollandDave HollandDave Holland is an English jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has lived in the United States for 40 years....
, & Jack DeJohnetteJack DeJohnetteJack DeJohnette is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. He is one of the most influential jazz drummers of the 20th century, due to extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians like Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett and Sonny... - Vertigo (1998, Concord) with Kurt RosenwinkelKurt RosenwinkelKurt Rosenwinkel is an American jazz guitarist and keyboardist who came to prominence in the 1990s.-Biography:He attended the Berklee School of Music for two and a half years before leaving in his junior year to tour with Gary Burton, the dean of the school at the time...
, Scott ColleyScott ColleyScott Colley is an American jazz bassist and Composer.Scott has performed extensively in bands led by: Herbie Hancock, Jim Hall, Andrew Hill, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Pat Metheny, Carmen McRae, Edward Simon, Adam Rogers, Brian Blade, David Binney, Antonio Sanchez, Kenny Werner...
, & Billy DrummondBilly DrummondWillis Robert "Billy" Drummond, Jr. is an American jazz drummer.Drummond learned jazz from an early age from his father, who was a drummer and a jazz enthusiast and whose record collection included many recordings of Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Buddy Rich and Elvin Jones, among others... - Gratitude (2001, Verve RecordsVerve RecordsVerve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
) with Kevin Hays, Scott Colley, & Brian BladeBrian BladeBrian Blade in Shreveport, Louisiana is an American jazz drummer, composer, session musician, and singer-songwriter.-Early years:... - Traveling Mercies (2002, Verve) with John Scofield, Adam RogersAdam RogersAdam Rogers is an American guitarist specializing in post bop, contemporary jazz, and classical music. Rogers has had a prolific and extensive session history as a recording guitarist having played on over 150 commercially released recordings...
, Kevin Hays, Scott Colley, & Bill StewartBill Stewart (musician)William Harris "Bill" Stewart is an American jazz drummer. Stewart is a versatile player who has performed with a broad array of musicians, from Maceo Parker to Jim Hall... - Lift: Live At The Village Vanguard (2004, Sunnyside RecordsSunnyside RecordsSunnyside Records is an American jazz record label.Sunnyside was founded in 1982 by Francois Zalacain and Christine Berthet. Its early releases consisted primarily of piano solo material and ensembles without drums, but in later years has broadened its selection of material.-Artists who have...
) with Kevin Hays, Scott Colley & Bill Stewart - Underground (2006, Sunnyside) with Adam RogersAdam RogersAdam Rogers is an American guitarist specializing in post bop, contemporary jazz, and classical music. Rogers has had a prolific and extensive session history as a recording guitarist having played on over 150 commercially released recordings...
, Craig TabornCraig TabornCraig Taborn is an American keyboardist and composer. Playing piano, organ, and Moog synthesizer, Taborn has worked mostly in jazz, although he also does dark ambient and techno music....
, Wayne KrantzWayne KrantzWayne Krantz is an American jazz fusion guitarist. He has played with top artists such as Steely Dan, Michael Brecker, Billy Cobham, and others, but is most active as a solo performer.-Biography:...
, & Nate Smith - 'Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard (2007, Sunnyside) with Adam Rogers, Craig TabornCraig TabornCraig Taborn is an American keyboardist and composer. Playing piano, organ, and Moog synthesizer, Taborn has worked mostly in jazz, although he also does dark ambient and techno music....
, & Nate Smith - "Chris Potter 10: Song For Anyone" 2007
- "Ultrahang" (2009, ArtistShareArtistShareArtistShare is a crowdfunding website and labelWharton Innovation and Entrepreneurship Consulted on 10/12/2011 for musicians and other creative artists which allows them to fund their projects utilizing a "fan-funding" model to allow the general public to directly finance, watch the creative...
) with Adam Rogers, Craig TabornCraig TabornCraig Taborn is an American keyboardist and composer. Playing piano, organ, and Moog synthesizer, Taborn has worked mostly in jazz, although he also does dark ambient and techno music....
, & Nate Smith
As sideman
With Dave HollandDave Holland
Dave Holland is an English jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has lived in the United States for 40 years....
- 2000 - Prime DirectivePrime Directive (album)-Track listing:# "Prime Directive" - 7:46# "Looking Up" - 13:32# "Make Believe" - 6:25# "A Seeking Spirit" - 11:21# "High Wire" - 6:49# "Jugglers Parade" - 8:14# "Candelight Vigil" - 4:51...
- ECM - 2001 - Not for Nothin'Not For Nothin'-Track listing:All compositions by Dave Holland, except as noted.# "Global Citizen" - 11:12# "For All You Are" - 8:19# "Lost And Found" - 9:27# "Shifting Sands" - 5:20# "Billows Of Rhythm" - 6:45...
- ECM - 2003 - Extended Play: Live at BirdlandExtended Play: Live at BirdlandExtended Play: Live at Birdland is a live jazz album recorded at the famous New York city jazz club Birdland in 2001, by the Dave Holland Quintet. It was later released in 2003.- Personnel :*Chris Potter - soprano, alto and tenor saxophones...
- ECM - 2005 - Overtime - Dare2
- 2006 - Critical MassCritical Mass (Dave Holland album)Critical Mass is a 2006 album release by the Dave Holland Quintet, and the first to feature drummer Nate Smith. Apart from his previous solo double bass & cello albums, this is Holland's first album to be released outside the ECM label, through which he had released all of his albums since his 1972...
- Dare2 - 2007 - Live at The 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival
- 2008 - Pass It On - Dare2
- 2010 - Pathways - Dare2
With Paul Motian
Paul Motian
Stephen Paul Motian was an American jazz drummer, percussionist and composer of Armenian extraction.He first came to prominence in the late 1950s in the piano trio of Bill Evans, and later led several groups...
- 1994 - Reincarnation of a Love Bird - JMT
- 1996 - Flight of the Blue JayFlight of the Blue JayFlight of the Blue Jay is an album by Paul Motian released on the German Winter & Winter label in 1997 and featuring performances of bebop jazz standards by Motian with the Electric Bebop Band...
- Winter & Winter - 1997 - 2000 + One2000 + One2000 + One is an album by jazz drummer Paul Motian released on the German Winter & Winter label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 4 stars.-Track listing:# "From Time to Time" - 4:50# "Dance" - 4:52# "One in Three" - 4:50...
- Winter & Winter - 1998 - Play Monk and PowellPlay Monk and PowellPlay Monk and Powell is an album by Paul Motian and the Electric Bebop Band released on the German Winter & Winter label in 1999 and featuring performances of tunes by Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell...
- Winter & Winter - 2005 - On Broadway Vol. 4 or The Paradox of ContinuityOn Broadway Vol. 4 or The Paradox of ContinuityOn Broadway Vol. 4 or The Paradox of Continuity is an album by Paul Motian and the Trio 2000 + One released on the German Winter & Winter label in 2002...
- Winter & Winter - 2006 - Live at the Village VanguardLive at the Village Vanguard (Paul Motian album)Live at the Village Vanguard is a live album by Paul Motian's Trio 2000 + Two recorded at the Village Vanguard and released on the German Winter & Winter label in 2007.-Reception:...
(Winter & Winter) - 2006 - Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. IILive at the Village Vanguard Vol. IILive at the Village Vanguard Vol. II is a live album by Paul Motian's Trio 2000 + Two recorded at the Village Vanguard and released on the German Winter & Winter label in 2008.-Reception:...
(Winter & Winter) - 2006 - Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. III (Winter & Winter)
External links
- Official website
- Biography from the Sunnyside Records website
- "Twelve Essential Chris Potter Performances" by Jacob Teichroew, (Jazz.com).