1. Lament 8:07 
2. Imaginary Cities, Pt. 1 “Compassion” 8:34
3. Imaginary Cities, Pt. 2 “Dualities” 8:44
4. Imaginary Cities, Pt. 3 “Disintegration” 7:23
5. Imaginary Cities, Pt. 4 “Rebuilding” 11:33
6. Firefly 8:37
7. Shadow Self 6:09
8. Sky 12:02

Chris Potter - Clarinet (Bass), Composer, Mixing, Primary Artist, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Dave Eggar - Cello
Fima Ephron - Guitar (Bass)
Mark Feldman - Violin
Joyce Hammann - Violin
Lois Martin - Viola
Adam Rogers - Guitars
Nate Smith - Drums
Craig Taborn - Piano

As the billing on the cover indicates, Chris Potter extends the creative envelope of his longstanding Underground Orchestra on his second date as a leader for ECM. Guitarist Adam Rogers, drummer Nate Smith, and pianist Craig Taborn all return. The additional architecture includes not one but two bassists in Scott Colley (acoustic) and Fima Ephron (electric). Steve Nelson (Potter's former bandmate in Dave Holland's quintet) plays marimba and vibes, and a string quartet -- violinists Mark Feldman and Joyce Hammann, violist Lois Martin, and cellist David Eggar -- make this the "Underground Orchestra." "Lament" is introduced by the string quartet playing a near-Baroque melody before the jazz group enters with Rogers' warm, electric guitar. Potter's first solo is moody as Nelson's vibes move toward modal terrain. Colley's bridge-like solo is woody and rich. Midway through, tempo and intensity shift, signified by Taborn and Smith. Potter flies on tenor and the rest of the orchestra ups the tension and pulse in support before exiting on a pastoral theme. The next 34 minutes are the four-part title suite. While its sections tend to offer formal melodies and harmonics that are painstakingly charted over various jazz and classical languages, there is plenty of room for the players to stretch out. "Pt. 1: Compassion" commences with the strings in a droning Eastern mode before a shadowy melody emerges. By the time Rogers delivers his stinging yet tasteful solo, it becomes a grooving electric jazz workout. "Pt. 2: Dualities" commences with a sprightly pizzicato string groove. Potter takes the melody, then rips it up in a squalling solo, even as the strings -- now bowing -- foreshadow his harmonic movement. By contrast, Nelson's solo is pure post-bop with excellent support from the rhythm section. Taborn's spidery pointillistic inquiries introduce "Pt. 3: Disintegration," but it's the string quartet that shines, offering abstraction as a backbone for Potter and Rogers to emerge with an almost lush lyricism. The final section, "Rebuilding," is a striking piece of grooved-out creative jazz. Smith, Colley, and Ephron lock on as Taborn and Potter engage in muscular interplay. Rogers' solo is the highlight, creating a bridge between parts as the strings offer not only color but harmonic direction. Remarkably, there are three more pieces here, including the knotty, funky "Firefly," with Rogers offering as much textural flavor as a B-3 organ. Closer "Sky" has a lush cinematic melody. It's an excellent showcase for Potter, Taborn, and the string quartet, who all deliver excellent solos while keeping the tune's large landscape feel throughout -- one can hear traces of Aaron Copeland in some of its thematic lines. Potter's writing on Imaginary Cities engages every aspect of his jazz palette. It embraces modern classical music as part of a striking whole. It is his most ambitious project to date, and arguably his most expertly articulated. ---Thom Jurek, Rovi

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1 	Quick 	
2 	The Steppes     (Soloist [Additional Solo] – Per Gade)
3 	Interlude 	
4 	New Year's Day    (Soloist [Additional Solo] – Mads La Cour)
5 	Narrow Road 	
6 	Abyssinia    (Soloist [Additional Solo] – Søren Frost)
7 	Totally 	
8 	Rumination    (Soloist [Additional Solo] – Steen Hansen)

Acoustic Bass – Kaspar Vadsholt
Arranged By, Written-By, Conductor, Saxophone – Chris Potter
Drums – Søren Frost
Danish Radio Big Band
Piano – Magnus Hjort
Reeds – Lars Møller, Nicolai Schultz, Pelle Fridell, Peter Fuglsang, Uffe Markussen
Trombone – Jakob Munck, Peter Jensen, Steen Hansen, Vincent Nilsson
Trumpet – Anders Gustafsson, Christer Gustafsson, Gerard Presencer,
 Mads La Cour, Thomas Kjærgaard

Chris Potter has long established himself as one of the top saxophonists of his generation, but these 2010 sessions with the DR Big Band find him breaking new ground, writing original material for a large ensemble while conducting and serving as the primary soloist as well. "Quick" is a quirky opener, with a funky undercurrent but rich harmonies, dissonance, and his hard-blowing tenor sax. The boisterous "New Year's Day" features more of Potter's burning, Sonny Rollins-influenced tenor, plus the expressive trumpet of Mads la Cour (a fine bandleader in his own right). The sorrowful "Abyssinia" has an exotic air and lumbering pace, but a majesty all its own with the leader's rich scoring of the brass and reeds. But it is the finale, the extended post-bop vehicle "Rumination," that leaves the most lasting impression, alternating between a percolating cooker with the brass subdivided into different sections to back his burning solo, and a mellower mood with a robust solo by trombonist Steen Hansen. Fans of Chris Potter who are used to hearing him lead various small groups will have their ears opened by this outstanding progressive release. ---Ken Dryden, AllMusic Review

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1. Five points
2. Wayfinder
3. Nausikaa
4. Work

Chris Potter – tenor & soprano saxophones
David Virelles – piano
Joe Martin – bass
Gerard Clever – drums

Chris Potter is a powerful force in the world of modern jazz. His work as a sideman and as a leader demonstrates a broad array of influences, some deep within the jazz tradition, and others from recent popular trends or from 20th century classical music. No matter what the context, Potter’s virtuosity and sensibility to the ensemble allow his playing to thrive and swell within the group.

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