Chris Potter (jazz saxophonist)


Chris Potter 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.

Biography

Chris Potter was born in Chicago, Illinois, but his family moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where he spent his formative years. Potter showed an early interest in a wide variety of different music and learned several instruments, including the guitar and piano. He realized after hearing Paul Desmond that the saxophone would be the vehicle that would best allow him to express himself musically. He has been quoted by Jazz Times as saying that, "'Music has always been a vehicle for me to investigate the things that are important about life. It’s been a way of figuring out what it is I need to say. Plus, I keep learning new things about it.'"
He played his first professional jazz gig on alto sax at age thirteen. He developed a devoted local following while performing with Johnny Helms and Terry Rosen. After leaving Columbia upon his graduation from Dreher High School, Potter attended college in New York City, first at the New School and later at the Manhattan School of Music. In New York he began performing with Red Rodney. He is currently based out of New York City.

Recordings

Potter has released albums as leader and performed as a sideman on more than 150 with Red Rodney, Pat Metheny, Marian McPartland, Patricia Barber, Kenny Werner, the Mingus Big Band, Paul Motian, Ray Brown, Jim Hall, James Moody, Dave Douglas, Joe Lovano, Wayne Krantz, Mike Mainieri, Steve Swallow, Steely Dan, Dave Holland, Joanne Brackeen, Adam Rogers.
His 2006 album Underground, on which he records with an electric, more "groove"-based ensemble featuring Craig Taborn on keyboard, Wayne Krantz or Adam Rogers on guitar; and Nate Smith on drums, was followed by Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard with Rogers on all six of its tracks.

Awards and honors

His 1998 album Vertigo was named one of the year's top ten jazz CDs by both Jazziz magazine and The New York Times. The album was inspired by a bout of Ménière's disease that caused severe dizziness and damaged his hearing in one ear. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo for his work on the Joanne Brackeen album Pink Elephant Magic. His 2004 album Lift: Live at Village Vanguard was named one of the year's ten best jazz recordings by Fred Kaplan of Slate.
Potter has appeared in the Down Beat Critic's and Reader's Polls and named Rising Star for Best Tenor Saxophonist in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He was honored as Tenor Saxophonist of the Year 2013 by the Jazz Journalists Association.

Discography

As leader

With David Binney
With Scott Colley
With Dave Douglas
With Fleurine
With James Francies
With Greg Gisbert
With Dave Holland
With Ryan Kisor
With Susannah McCorkle
With Pat Metheny
With Mingus Big Band
With Paul Motian
With John Patitucci
With Adam Rogers
With Renee Rosnes
With Alex Sipiagin
With Steely Dan
With Steve Swallow
With John Swana
With Joris Teepe
With others