Chris Potter Underground Orchestra
Release Date: 19 January 2015
Label: ECM
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 602547040756
Genres: Jazz Contemporary
Description
'Imaginary Cities', an album of great power and expressive range, is the recording premiere of saxophonist Chris Potter's new Underground Orchestra.
At the core of this larger ensemble (a band assembled originally in response to an invitation from Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York) is the personnel of his long-established Underground quartet - with Adam Rogers, Craig Taborn and Nate Smith - now joined by two bassists, a string quartet, and Potter's old comrade from Dave Holland Quintet days, vibes and marimba man Steve Nelson.
The title composition is a suite, panoramic in its reach, with movements subtitled "Compassion", "Dualities", "Disintegration" and "Rebuilding". The scope of the work, and its contrasting moods and thematic development, inspire some of Potter's finest playing. His saxes fly high above his idealized cityscapes or launch into dialogues or group improvising with its gifted inhabitants. Four further pieces - "Lament", "Firefly", "Sky" and "Shadow Self" - extend the feeling of the suite, successfully combining both tightly written material and very open areas involving all members of the orchestra.
References are multi-idiomatic and multicultural, and Potter, who counts 'Charlie Parker with Strings' amongst his formative enthusiasms, had Arabic and Indian string sections in mind, as well as contemporary composition, when shaping this material. 'Imaginary Cities' was recorded in December 2013 in New York's Avatar Studio and produced by Manfred Eicher.
Personnel: Chris Potter (tenor and soprano saxophone, bass clarinet), Adam Rogers (guitars), Craig Taborn (piano), Steve Nelson (vibraphone and marimba), Fima Ephron (bass guitar), Scott Colley (acoustic bass), Nate Smith (drums), Mark Feldman, Joyce Hammann (violin), Lois Martin (viola), David Eggar (cello)
Tracklisting
Tomasz Stanko Quartet
Norma Winstone & Kit Downes
Oded Tzur
Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Dave Holland & Bill Frisell
Fred Hersch
John Taylor, Norma Winstone & Kenny Wheeler
Keith Jarrett & Jan Garbarek
Jan Garbarek Quartet
Tomasz Stanko Quartet
Jiem
Ant Law & Brigitte Beraha
Tom Green Septet
Patchwork Jazz Orchestra
Elaine Delmar
Ross McHenry
Open Thread (Peggy Lee, Julien Wilson, Theo Carbo, Dylan van der Schyff)
