CHRIS POTTER — Circuits (review)

CHRIS POTTER — Circuits album cover Album · 2019 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Steve Wyzard
AWESTRUCK - SO MUCH MUSIC!

Don't let the word "much" throw you. This is not a long, meandering album. Rather it's an unparalleled exercise in how much music four gifted musicians can pack into a visceral 61:35. A huge departure from his relatively restrained work on ECM, not only is Circuits Chris Potter's best album yet, but it's also a strong contender for one of the best of the last decade.

This 21st century fusion masterpiece open with a brief "Invocation", a multi-tracked chorale with layers of saxes and clarinets. The temperature rises with the massive thrust of "Hold it", where James Francies's keyboards remind one of the mid-1970s performances of Hancock/Zawinul/Duke. "The Nerve" is this album's "Eastern"-flavored number, beginning with a loop-pedal of multi-tracked flutes before settling into a groove. "Koutome" features a bass clarinet intro and the bubbling/bustling drums and percussion of Eric Harland before a segue into the chaotic "Circuits". More tape-loops, a mind-bending synth solo, and sax lines of Monkian-complexity almost beg for transcription: I dare you!

The non-pastoral "Green Pastures" is probably this album's most accessible composition. After a synth bass/bass clarinet opening, the Michael Brecker comparison Potter is often saddled with applies here. "Queens of Brooklyn" provides a brief respite from the intensity, with mellow soprano sax over piano chords, before dissolving into a brooding sax/clarinet chorus backed by guitar (played by Potter). Then strap yourself in for the ridiculously speedy tempi of "Exclamation" and the rhythmic, keyboard-heavy "Pressed for Time". Potter and Harland seemingly never stop soloing, while Francies contributes a Fender Rhodes showpiece. Then sit back and wipe your brow when it's all over. Let it also be said that Linley Marthe contributes phenomenal electric bass to "The Nerve", "Koutome", "Circuits", and "Exclamation".

I'm not sure if Potter painstakingly writes out all his lines/arrangements beforehand, but whether or not he does, it's obvious a lot of time, work and thought went into this recording. Circuits (appearing on the Edition label) is one of those albums you can listen to for the rest of your life and still not hear everything. Some will say, "there's too much going on" or "this is just showing off", as this is a far more extroverted album than much of Potter's previous work. Yet Potter and Harland remain leaders in the jazz field on their respective instruments, while both Francies and Marthe are names to be reckoned with based on this album. Until hearing Circuits, I might have proclaimed Dave Holland's Prism album (2013, also featuring Eric Harland) to be the clearest candidate for Jazz Album of the 2010's Decade. Now, I'm not so sure.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
Tracy M wrote:
more than 2 years ago
It's The Album of The Year to Me and The Live Performance with Craig Taborn on Piano, Justin Brown on Drums, and Tim Lefebvre on Bass OMG!
lunarston wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Yes ... This is a really good album!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Francesca Avant-Garde Jazz
DAVID MURRAY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Dave’s Picks Volume 50 : The Palladium, New York, NY, 5/3/77 Jazz Related Rock
GRATEFUL DEAD
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tough Stuff Post-Fusion Contemporary
IIRO RANTALA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra : This Rock We're On - Imaginary Letters Third Stream
MIKE HOLOBER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Simon Nabatov Quartet feat. Ralph Alessi : Lovely Music 21st Century Modern
SIMON NABATOV
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

This Rock We're On: Imaginary Letters (EPK)
MIKE HOLOBER
js· 11 hours ago
Koscha's Delight
SIMON NABATOV
js· 11 hours ago
Songs My Mom Liked EPK - Anthony Branker
ANTHONY BRANKER
js· 3 days ago
“INFLUENCES” by Jared Hall, trumpeter & composer
JARED HALL
js· 3 days ago
Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 4 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed