Chris Potter

The youngest winner of the prestigious Jazzpar Prize, American saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Chris Potter (b. Chicago, January 1, 1971) has established himself as one of the most talented jazz musicians of his generation. Since Vertigo (1998), his complex language and virtuoso, musical playing have won him unanimous acclaim in post-bop and contemporary circles, as demonstrated by his audacious albums Travelling Mercies (2002), Song for Anyone (2007) and Follow the Red Line (2007), the latter recorded live at the Village Vanguard. In 2013, the tenor and soprano saxophonist made his debut on the ECM label with the album The Sirens. Two years later, the album Imaginary Cities was recorded with the Underground Orchestra, a large ensemble comprising his quartet and a string quartet. He then recorded the live album Zea (2017) with the Hungarian group Mihaly Dresch Quartet, followed the same year by The Dreamer Is the Dream, played in quartet. After demonstrating his savoir-faire by playing all the instruments present on There Is a Tide (2020), the virtuoso surrounded himself with James Francies (keyboards) and Eric Harland (drums) for Sunrise Reprise (2021), followed by a return to the Village Vanguard for Got the Keys to the Kingdom (2023). In 2024, he assembled a prestigious quartet on Eagle's Point (2024), featuring Brad Mehldau, John Patitucci and Brian Blade. After collaborating with the Hungarian ensemble Söndörgö on Gyezz (2024), Chris Potter invited an eclectic array of musicians for Alive with Ghosts Away (2026), including Bill Frisell, Sara Caswell, Rane Moore, Nate Smith, Burniss Earl Travis II and Zekkeraya el-Megharbel.