By Wolf Rahfeldt
Whether you’re a seasoned jazz musician or a first-time jazz listener, when saxophonist Chris Potter starts playing, you never know where he might take you. He could be taking you on a soaring journey above the rest of the band as he whispers aerial melodies, twisting your mind with virtuosic runs that leap off the standard scale, or making you move to his soulfully articulated tunes. Whatever he decides to play, the result is always the same: you become instantly mesmerized. Combine this with the skills of David Virelles (piano), Larry Grenadier (bass), and Eric Harland (drums), and you have a musical force to be reckoned with.
While Chris Potter grew up playing a multitude of instruments such as piano and guitar at a young age, he realized that the saxophone would be the vehicle that would best allow him to express himself. He then went on to master the tricky language of bebop, bursting onto the New York scene as an eighteen year old prodigy playing with the bebop icon Red Rodney. Since then he has played with a number of giants such as Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette, and has established himself as a bandleader and composer in his own right. While his roots are in bebop, his recent music has been significantly influenced by a wide variety of genres such as funk, hip-hop, country, and folk. With his mastery of sound, phrasing, and rhythm, Potter manages to synthesis these disparate styles into something unique, organic, and intriguing.
Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley provides the perfect venue for such a renowned jazz group. Its warm, romantic setting, great acoustics, and intimate stage allows you a chance to get closer to your favorite jazz artists.
So come downtown and see it for yourself. Cleverly located with its entrance in a small alley way, Dimitrou’s Jazz Alley boasts:
6 nights of music per week (Tuesday-Sunday),
An all-ages venue (21+ only in the bar), and
Free parking!
Also, check the website for student, military, and senior discounts.
More info on the Chris Potter Quartet performance: http://www.jazzalley.com/artist.asp?artistid=1226
Dimitrou’s Jazz Alley: http://www.jazzalley.com/calendar.asp
