Chris Potter has not only established himself as one of today’s pre-eminent saxists, but as he displayed at The Dakota Wednesday night at the packed house at The Dakota, he is also turning into a formidable composer and arranger. Teamed with David Virelles/p, Marcus Gilmore/dr and Joe Martin/b, he presented material from his most recent album The Dreamer is The Dream which mixed memorable memories teamed with fiery interplay and exotic sounding extras.
The 70 minute set began with the piece “Yasodhara” as electronic loops melded with Potter’s crying tenor before Gilmore’s tribal tympanic work steered the music into a searing cavalcade of intricate energy, as Potter’s sax slithered through Virelles’ caroming piano work. Switching to soprano, Potter made the horn created mystical sounds akin to a wooden flute on “Sonic Anomaly,” swooping like a pelican over Gilmore’s rumbling and turbulent current before he and Martin segued into a percolating bass and drum duet, gradually building up to a volcanic level of heat with Potter and Virelles turning up the butanes.
“Memory and Desire” featured Potter’s sweet soprano supplemented with African percussion and electronic loops, creating an ethereal mood while Martin supplied a supple jogger’s pulse of a groove. The dreamy tune gentle evolved into the closing and Third World mooded “Ilimba” which melded a South African fest of a theme with Virelles’ nimble and intricate piano work. Potter concluded the piece, concert and mood with a dark Paul Robeson resonant of a solo as the mix of rich tenor sax, celebratory rhythm and fragrant tinges made for a mix of sophistication and swing.
The mix of instrumental mastery, pinpoint accuracy of communal delivery and visceral connectedness made for a thrilling evening of song and stimulation.
Upcoming shows at The Dakota include Jane Bunnett June 19, June Christian Sands June 21, The Django Festival All Stars June 23-24, and Pharaoh Sanders July 26-27.