Chris Potter Septet

“One of the most studied (and copied) saxophonists on the planet” (DownBeat), SFJAZZ Collective musical director Chris Potter is undoubtedly one of jazz’s leading lights and a highly engaged student of history. His newest album project, Alive With Ghosts Today, is a stirring set of compositions that explores the power and poignancy of abolitionist John Brown’s life and his 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry that preceded the American Civil War. Joining him on the Edition Records album, and for this performance, is a decidedly off-kilter septet that Potter describes as “a slightly unruly village band” including master guitarist Bill Frisell and a lineup featuring violin, clarinet, trombone, bass, and drums.  

Drawing inspiration from gospel, blues, African music, and the wide vistas of Aaron Copland, Alive With Ghosts Today captures the spirit of the era during a period of deep fracture in the country, when the battle for slavery and freedom reached a boiling point that still resonates deeply within the collective American psyche. 

An omnivorous artist who has fronted multiple ensembles and collaborated with a staggering list of music's greatest names, Chris Potter again expands upon his remarkable output with Alive With Ghosts Today — a project he approaches with heart and soul.  

Of the project, Potter says, “It’s a story that holds the complexity and tragedy of America in one moment. It felt important to engage with it now.”