Born in Chicago, tenor saxophone and flute player Chris Potter makes no attempt to disguise his admiration for the founding fathers of bebop. His last CD, appropriately called Gratitude, is rightfully a tribute to saxophone giants like John Coltrane, Lester Young, Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman, all musicians who have inspired Potter. Maybe that's not so astonishing for a jazz saxophone player, but the way he did it, shows a lot of enthusiasm. With each composition Potter thought about what he admired in a certain jazz saxophone player, and he tried to convey that in sound and tone. Take The Source for instance, a blues for John Coltrane. ‘I remembered how Trane always knew how to reach a kind of energy-reservoir that enabled him to play for hours. I only wish I could have seen him do that live’, Potter says. Potter, in his thirties, has built up a strong resume himself, by working with Dave Douglas, Steely Dan and Dave Holland. And last but not least as leader of his own band (Kevin Hays on piano, Scott Colley on bass, Clarence Penn on drums). In the meantime Potter has released seven albums.
