E8 #Insights: Why Chris Potter Wrote About John Brown

“Touching the Invisible”, the title track from Olga Amelchenko’s new album, Touching the Invisible, began with a personal moment during her pregnancy. While practising saxophone in her studio, her thoughts drifted to the little person growing inside her.She put her saxophone aside, sat down at the piano, and spontaneously played the piece, recording it on her phone. In this episode, Amelchenko shares the story behind the composition and explains how it became the emotional centre of the album, eventually giving the record its title. Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe

A sample recorded on an old 1970s Rhodes became the starting point for “Portrait Mode”, a track from Dave Stapleton’s Quiet Fire. Built around a strong pulse and a laid-back groove, the track lets the music speak for itself.In this episode, Stapleton explains how the track developed from that original sample and explores the idea behind its title, reflecting on how smartphones have changed the way we experience art and what we might have lost in the process. Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe

On “Pole Star”, from John Patitucci’s Spirit Fall featuring Brian Blade and Chris Potter, Patitucci draws on the influence of Wayne Shorter and his long-standing fascination with the unknown and the vastness of the stars.Shorter’s approach to melody and harmony also played a role in shaping the track. In this episode, Patitucci talks about the connection to Shorter’s music and how that influence found its way into “Pole Star”. Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe

On “Lipím”, from John Patitucci’s Spirit Fall featuring Brian Blade and Chris Potter, Patitucci draws on his long-standing love for West African music, creating a track with a strong African bass line and a melody inspired by that tradition.The title comes from Yemba, a language from Cameroon, where “Lipím” means hope. In this episode, Patitucci explains how the word came to him through guitarist Lionel Loueke and how it also connected back to his earlier collaboration with Cameroonian bassist Armand Sabal-Lecco. Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe

Nils Petter Molvær first met Martux_m in Rome around ten years ago. Since then, they’ve stayed in touch, collaborated on a remix, and eventually came together again for “Rome” on Be Quiet - a project built around collaborations with artists from different cities, including Imogen Heap, John Paul Jones and Alva Noto.In this short episode, Molvær talks about the idea behind Be Quiet: travelling to different cities, working with artists from each place, and creating space for real interaction. For him, that connection is where “sometimes magical things can happen.” Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe

“It felt like a bit of a risk.” Most of the musicians didn’t know each other very well, if at all, and Chris Potter wasn’t sure how it would come together. What followed was a session that became a very special experience.In this episode, Potter reflects on the seriousness and commitment the musicians brought to the project, and the feeling that music can rise beyond what any one person could do. Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe

For Alive With Ghosts Today, Chris Potter knew he wanted Bill Frisell’s unmistakable guitar sound to be part of the music. He also called on longtime friend and bandmate Nate Smith, knowing his groove and groundedness would fit the music perfectly.In this episode, Potter talks about what drew him to both musicians and the qualities he heard in their playing as he was writing the album. Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe

For Alive With Ghosts Today, Chris Potter wanted to work with a slightly larger group of musicians that would give him the freedom to write in a different way. The result is an unusual combination of instruments, imagined almost as a “village band” from the American Midwest: a group working with what they have rather than trying to recreate a traditional ensemble.In this episode, Potter talks about how he arrived at this particular combination and how the sounds of instruments like guitar and violin helped give the music what he describes as a distinctly American feel. Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe

Chris Potter reflects on the story of abolitionist John Brown and why it felt important to tell it now through Alive With Ghosts Today. He shares the connection between John Brown and poet Langston Hughes, whose grandmother was connected to one of the men killed during Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. For Potter, that connection between past and present is central to the story. He considers how the ghosts of history remain with us and why this particular chapter of American history still feels relevant today. Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe

Chris Potter reflects on the different musical influences he was consciously thinking about while writing Alive With Ghosts Today. From Aaron Copland’s Billy the Kid and the music of Bill Frisell to blues and funk, he shares some of the reference points that informed the album’s musical world.He discusses the different sounds he was looking for from the violin, the influence of The Staple Singers and tremolo guitar, and the deep pocket brought by the rhythm section, offering a glimpse into the ideas behind the writing of Alive With Ghosts Today. Get full access to Edition Records at editionrecords.substack.com/subscribe