Chris Potter (born January 1, 1971) is an American
jazz saxophonist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.
Potter first came to prominence as a sideman with trumpeter
Red Rodney (1992–1993), before extended stints with drummer
Paul Motian (1994–2009), bassist
Dave Holland (1999–2007), trumpeter
Dave Douglas (1998–2003) and session work, while also maintaining an active solo career.[1]
Biography
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.[1] 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."[2]
He took up the
alto saxophone at age 10, playing his first jazz gig at 13. 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.
His 2006 album Underground, on which he recorded with an electric, "groove"-based ensemble featuring keyboardist
Craig Taborn, guitarists
Wayne Krantz or
Adam Rogers and drummer
Nate Smith, was followed by the expansive Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard with Rogers on all six of its tracks. This group have reunited with Potter multiple times throughout his career, and recorded & toured extensively.
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.[1] He was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo for his work on the
Joanne Brackeen album Pink Elephant Magic. He was awarded the
Jazzpar Prize in 2000. 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,[4] 2005, 2006[5] and 2007.[6] He was honored as Tenor Saxophonist of the Year 2013 by the
Jazz Journalists Association.[7]