Chris Potter "Alive with Ghosts Today" CD

★SHM-CD Specification

The latest work by Chris Potter, one of the most important figures in contemporary jazz! A new suite of contemporary jazz inspired by the story of abolitionist John Brown, featuring an all-star lineup including Nate Smith, Bill Frisell, and Burniss Travis!

"Alive With Ghosts Today" is a new suite by Chris Potter, inspired by the story of abolitionist John Brown. Potter, widely regarded as one of the most influential improvisers and composers in contemporary jazz, takes on the subject of the Harpers Ferry raid of 1859. This event was a historic moment that revealed the contradictions, violence, and ideals at the core of the American nation.

Potter uses this story as a guide to explore belief, sacrifice, and the unresolved tensions that continue to linger in American society. He delves into a raw, American sound world, shaped by the blues and folk, harmonies reminiscent of Aaron Copland, and the propulsive rhythms that run through American history.

The ensemble was configured to evoke the sound of a "small-town band," with a limited instrumentation yet rich individual character. The instrumentation includes guitar, bass, drums, violin, clarinet, and trombone.

Bill Frisell's guitar carries the emotional heart of the music, embodying the texture and warmth Potter envisioned when composing. Nate Smith and Burniss Travis underpin the pulse of the music with their weighty grooves. Sara Caswell's violin moves freely between classical clarity and the rawness of a fiddle. Furthermore, Lane Moore on clarinet and Zekkariyya El-Magharbel on trombone shape the musical contours with their unique colors, transforming the score into a vibrant, human sound.

It is the collective sound of these musicians that gives this suite its shape and power.