Customer Reviews

Follow the Red Line - Live at the Village Vanguard

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Chris Potter is one of my favourite saxophonists of all time. I'm also lucky enough to have seen a live performance (by another musician) at The Village Vanguard in NYC for myself. A friend took me there back in the 90s. I can thus easily picture in my head, what the gigs that led to this album might have been like. They must've been electrifying.

This six-tune set recorded live at the Vanguard over two dates in February of 2007, is fresh, exciting and bursting with energy and while not Potter's best album as far as I'm concerned (I personally prefer his studio sound), is definitely one of the best live jazz albums I've heard in a while. Apart from Potter himself of course, who plays tenor saxophone and bass clarinet and is always amazing, I am particularly impressed by Adam Rogers on guitar - unusually, he has a very individual sound that doesn't remind me of any of the better known contemporary guitarists - and Craig Taborn on the Fender Rhodes. Things sound a bit hectic here and there as they often do during live performances but most of the time, nothing but magic shines through. I love all the tunes (the Ed Blackwell-penned "Togo", the only one Potter didn't write incidentally, is my overall favourite) but I wasn't exactly overjoyed at the way "Pop Tune #1" morphed from a beautiful ballad into a so-so dance tune halfway through.

A minor quibble though, I suppose, with what is undoubtedly, an outstanding CD overall. Five stars.

Follow the Red Line - Live at the Village Vanguard
This is an excellent recording. The playing is masterful and world class and marries the sense of groove from popular music with the chops and intelligence of jazz. One of the more exciting pieces of music I've heard recently. If you enjoy Dave Holland's music or The Bad Plus you should check this out.

Once you put this album in your mp3 or CD player, you just can't stop listening to it again and again. The more you listen to it, the more you enjoy it. Great compositions, well played. In my opinion, clearly the best jazz album of 2007.

This is by far the greatest album that chris potter has released. The variety, style, improvisation of this group is unbelievable. Besides it being great music, I love listening to it. I think it's really cool music. Chris Potter's improvisation is through the roof. Let's not forget adam rogers and craig tanborn improvising, they are great too. Nate smith tears it up on the drums. I saw this group live at the Village Vanguard in February when they were making this live CD, and they did not dissapoint. This is great music, not that popular garbage that is out there today.

I've seen this band live and--wow!--this is ferociously close to catching the energy, inventiveness, tightness, and originality of this quartet. Having seen the best--yes, I saw Louis Armonstrong and John Coltrane, Duke and Miles--it's the truth, I hate coming out of a gig feeling like I've seen genius recycled one more time. This is not recycled music. These are real jazz musicians creating new jazz on the spot--and, man, oh, man do they tear it up! Buy this CD!1 Play it so *(&#)* loud the neighbors start screaming and dancing in the street!

It is tough to add a lot to the superlatives thrown around by the other reviewers, but I am so thoroughly blown away by this album that I am unable to resist registering my enthusiasm. The one thing that bears mention and hasn't been discussed enough is the sheer power of Potter's playing. Potter's solo on "Train," the album's first tune, is truly otherworldly, dynamically building in intensity over the course of more than five minutes (and his solo on "Pop Tune #1" is almost as powerful). I'm not sure whether the title of the tune is an homage to Coltrane (the spelling would suggest that it isn't), but Chris sounds more like Coltrane here than anyone I've ever heard. However, the rest of the band is like nothing Coltrane ever played with. Adam Rogers' guitar fulfills the simultaneous function of a guitarist and a bassist, adding funk to the music and giving it the feel of a jam session or even, at times, a garage band, a feel that is augmented by Nate Smith's heavily rock 'n roll style drumming. The key for these musicians is that the tunes are open enough to allow Potter a great deal of solo space, which he takes advantage of with a combination of intensity and virtuosity that is unparalleled in anything I have heard recently (Taborn and Rogers' solos aren't too shabby either). If you own five jazz albums recorded this decade, this should be one of them.

Chris Potter's Follow the Red Line CD is a phenomenon. First rate innovation throughout. I urge you to buy this one!

From the opening note of Train (my favorite tune), I loved this CD. It rocks, it grooves, it swings, it sings, it sizzels and man do those boys BURN it up! Yeow! Chris Potter has outdone himself once again. The guy is a blaze talent and his originality and creativity awe inspiring - rhythm section support on bass clarinet? yeah! A delight from start to finish.

Chris Potter's Underground takes it to the next level with this live album. This is "sophisticated" jamming - all of the players show what they can really do - it's impossible to categorize this style, a mix of everything - Chris Potter is continuing Michael Brecker's genius.

Pop Tune #1 is probably epitomizes JAZZ-FUNK better than any other song I've ever heard. Chris Potter never disappoints.