Chris Potter, jeden z najważniejszych współcześnie jazzowych saksofonistów przygotował nową płytę. Muzyk występuje w Pat Metheny Unity Band i Unity Group, ale także sam komponuje i nagrywa znakomite albumy. Po doskonale przyjętej na świecie płycie Chris Potter Underground Orchestra "Imaginary Cities" (ECM 2015), przyszedł czas na bardziej kameralny krążek. Sam lider gra tutaj na wielu instrumentach (saksofony tenorowy i sopranowy, klarnety, flety, gitara, klawisze i perkusjonalia), Eric Harland za perkusją, James Francies na klawiszach i w czterech utworach Linley Marthe na elektrycznym basie.
Zróżnicowane brzmienie i szeroka paleta muzycznych barw zwracają uwagę słuchacza. Całość robi wrażenie pomyślanej, jako coś na kształt suity całości. Poszczególne jej ogniwa zachwycają kompozytorsko-improwizatorską błyskotliwością. Potter dał się już poznać, jako doskonały kompozytor, jednak na "Circuits" mamy do czynienia z syntezą jego artystycznych pomysłów. Jest to muzyka wielkiej swobody i urody.
"Invocation" otwiera kapitalna ekspozycja klarnetu basowego, tworząc przypominające chorał harmonie. Rozsnuwające pajęczyny dźwięków jego dalszej części wprowadzają nas w świat wielkiej i odważnej muzyki. Galopujący groove "Hold It", pełen energetycznego drummingu i solidnych akordów klawiszy zachwyca improwizatorską intensywnością. Z każdą chwilą temperatura grania rośnie, wykonawstwo mistrzowskie.
"Circuits" to muzyka ponad gatunkami. Otwarta, niedopowiedziana, niedająca się zamknąć w schemacie.
autor: Mateusz Krępski
Reedman Chris Potter is one of the most influential and inventive improvisors of these times. Circuits Potter and keyboardist James Francies, drummer Eric Harland and Bassist Linley Marthe
For more than two decades Potter's limitless creativity, effortless virtuosity and vibrant sense of swing has wowed critics, musicians and fans. Following three acclaimed albums on ECM, Circuits sees Chris Potter, with a new home at Edition Records with a return to groove, echoing his music from the Underground.
"Invocation" opens with smoothly sumptuous bass clarinet blowing under the multi-tracked recordings of other reeds, creating chorale-like harmonies. There is anticipation and intrigue here, a sense of something big and bold to come. And it does with "Hold It," which sets off from the start with a tenor groove over energetic percussion and solid keyboard chords. The track builds both in intensity and the improvisational exploration, all held together by the energetic, inventive drumming of Harland and the dexterous keyboards of Francies. This is modern jazz, commanding and strong, but with a definite old jazz feel infusion. Potter's rampant solo is mesmeric both in its speed and technical skill, which of course means nothing without passion; Potter delivers this with generosity. The inclusion of a section with electronic sounds over gentle percussion towards the end of the second third allows the contrast Potter introduces in the outre to be fully felt. "The Nerve" begins slowly, tentatively and with a tenderness and an Eastern feel, gradually developing into a syncopated rhythmic track with those Eastern influences but now tempered and developed into thematic styling and samples. The sax solo is lifting, sensual and driven by the rapid key traveling which Potter does so well. The bass line supports and the keyboards excel on this track.
"Koutome" opens with a dancing theme instigated by Potter, which is joined by percussion to create a Western African-inspired, body-swinging atmosphere which is developed throughout the track with percussion maintaining the decidedly harem-esque accents with a particularly nifty solo section included. In the end section the keys introduce floating scale lines which lift and rise over the percussive continuum. "Circuits" begins with what sounds like orchestral tuning up, out of which the percussive rhythm emerges, then the bass line, keyboards and finally the saxophones, imposing a powerful melodic theme over the slightly chaotic start. This is a vibrant track, full of different textures, several changes of tempo that combines world class musicians with electronic sounds which add depths and texture while falling short of being overwhelming. A balanced and beautiful piece. Potter, using multi tracks, plays against himself and with himself whilst both keys and percussion get their place in the spotlight. The sudden switch in rhythm in the second third is a surprise and the bass and drums work together well across this section.
Circuits is a terrific recording, and what is does is show Potter at his show-stopping best. But it also combines this with the modern electronic sounds and demonstrates there is no line in jazz. Modern can match with traditional influences and merge to develop something verging on the extraordinary.
By SAMMY STEIN
Editor's info
One of the most influential and inventive improvisors of his generation, Chris Potter returns with his major new album 'Circuits' featuring keyboardist James Francies (Blue Note), drummer Eric Harland with Linley Marthe on bass. For more than two decades, Potter's limitless creativity, effortless virtuosity and vibrant sense of swing has wowed critics, musicians and fans who cite him as the one of the most influential saxophonists and inventive improvisors of modern day.
Following three acclaimed albums on ECM, 'Circuits' sees Chris Potter, with a new home at Edition Records, return to groove, echoing his music from the Underground era. As Chris explains: "This is an idea that I've had for some time. I was kinda itching to get back into grooveland, and I was talking to Eric Harland about it. We've been working together for many years, and he recommended calling James Francies, who I was not familiar with, and it just immediately worked. This albums feels like a turning point in musical direction for me, so it feels very fortunate to have some fresh faces involved to help support it. To me, the album has a feeling of being unconstrained by convention, so I'm happy to have some folks on the business side who feel that way too. Edition has a lot of good ideas about how to connect this recording with a potential audience that might really like it if we can just make it onto their radar, and that's very exciting to me".
The music is effortless, free from convention tho' rooted in tradition, with modern sensibilities and influences. Chris continues, "It seems like the kind of thing where we could have written music, or not; it could be super-arranged, it could be not arranged. Everything just kind of works and that's something you can't really plan out. The chemistry's got to be right. You can imagine everything in your head, you can write...but it's when you begin playing, that's when you really see where it's at. If you think about where the music came from, starting with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, you know, everyone just used what they had around them. They wanted to play music that people would like, something that would bring in an audience, using the sounds and influences around them. So, that's exactly what this is too. It's just that the influences around us include hip hop and electronica and all kinds of stuff that wasn't happening at the beginning of the history of the music. But for me, the important thing about the history of the music was the inclusiveness and the ability to change. That's what keeps it alive.'
Opening with the evocative Invocation, multi-reeds lead with chorale-like harmonies prompting feelings of anticipation and intrigue - something bold and big is coming, and it does! Hold It, emerges with an immediate tenor groove, leaving the listener in no doubt where this album intends to sit. This is Chris Potter at his best. You can hear the joy and energy in the music and for his fellow musicians. His tone is modern, commanding and undeniably Potter. Through twists and turns, Hold It builds with intense improvisation, held together with the exuberant and inventive drumming of Harland and the dexterous keyboards of James Francies. The Nerve doesn't let up. Within the weave of electronics, samples and flutes, the track opens up for Francies (who more than confirms his presence and growing reputation), culminating in intense improvisation and virtuosity. As the album develops, more nuanced and subtle tracks including the West African Koutome and ballad Queens of Brooklyn insinuate themselves around the more immediate and uplifting grooves.
Circuits is the product of a master musician, combining world-class virtuosity and musicianship in equal measure, coupled with a humility and joy of music-making to match. A vibrant soundworld of electronics, memorable hooky melodies and surprising turns of phrase, 'Circuits' is sure to delight both the dedicated Potter fans and new listeners alike.
Line-up:
Chris Potter: tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinets, flutes, sampler, guitars, keyboards, and percussion
James Francies: keyboards
Eric Harland: drums
Linley Marthe: electric bass (tracks 3-5, 8)
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