Alive With Ghosts Today

Description

"Alive With Ghosts Today" is Chris Potter's new suite, inspired by the story of abolitionist John Brown. Potter, considered one of the most influential improvisers and composers of his generation, traces Brown's 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry—an event that laid bare the contradictions, violence, and ideals at the heart of America. He uses this narrative as a prism to explore faith, sacrifice, and the persistent tensions that still permeate American life. The music plunges into a raw, deeply American sound world, shaped by blues, folk, Copland-esque harmonies, and the rhythm that runs through the country's history. The ensemble was designed to sound like a small, resourceful but characterful camp band: guitar, bass, drums, violin, clarinet, and trombone. Bill Frisell's guitar forms its emotional core, carrying the texture and warmth Potter imagined while composing. Nate Smith and Burniss Travis provide a powerful, expressive pulse. Sarah Caswell's violin oscillates between classical clarity and the roughness of folk fiddle. Clarinetist Rane Moore and trombonist Zekkereya El-magharbel color the music with singular hues, infusing the score with a living, human dimension. Their collective sound gives the suite its form and its strength.