Sunny Side
2006
Underground
About This Album
Chris Potter took his electric band, Underground, on the road throughout 2005, trying out new material and working through some of his gems. This Sunnyside date is the first time this band has been in the studio together. Underground features Potter playing tenor saxophone exclusively, guitarist Wayne Krantz (in a rare sideman role to be sure), Craig Taborn on Fender Rhodes, and drummer Nate Smith. Right, that's not an error: there's no bassist. The program is diverse, featuring six Potter originals and some startling choices for covers: Billy Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom," Lennon and McCartney's "Yesterday" (which also features Adam Rogers on an additional guitar), and the Radiohead tune "Morning Bell." The obvious question is whether this a "fusion" record. The answer would have to be yes, given the knottiness of the arrangements, the twisting and turning original tunes, and the phrasing between Krantz and Taborn. But then, that's an obvious answer. The less obvious one is that this is fully an electric jazz record with plenty of groove and some swing in the mix, too. Potter is a fine composer and understands the strengths of the bands he writes for.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,6 and 7)

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