Drummer Dave Potter mixes jazz standards with modern originals and post bop on this team that has him teaming with a core of Jason Marsalis/vib while rotating Marcus Roberts-Austin Johnson-Louis Heriveaux/p, Rodney Jordan-Will Goble-Craig Shaw/b, Darren English-Andy Sloberg/tp and Miguel Alvarado-ts-ss.
A quartet setting with Marsalis is nimble and adroit during Wayne Shorter’s “Night Dreamer” with Potter deft on the brushes during “Bells of Ascone” and the team creating caroms on Thelonious Monk’s “Played Twice.” With a two horn front line, Bobby Watson’s “Beatitudes” grooves with hard bop delight, while a soulful read of “Whisper Not” is rich and elegiac. Some gospel roots are firmly planted with Rodney Jordan delivering a fun sermon during “I’m Going To Heaven…” and a hip hop groove with Alvarado’s soprano gets funky on Potter’s own “Radio Man.”
As promised in his liner notes, Potter demonstrates the rich variety of inspirational waters that jazz can draw from. Impressive outing.