Saxophonist Chris Potter, at age 38, has long been fast-tracked to the head of his class to become regarded as one of the strongest players on the scene. It doesn't seem that long ago that he was first making waves on recordings, and then became part of the superb Dave Holland quintet, where his strengths were put on display all over the globe.Fact is, Potter has earned his stripes every step of the way. He's made his bones with some of the greats in the art form, all along the way developing his thing. It can be heard in his recordings over time. Growth. Maturity. Strength. It's evident, and other musicians are aware of it. That's why his phone is always ringing. That's not bound to stop. Not because of his age and how much he has before him, but because Potter possesses the attitude of many of his influences, like Holland. The spirit of adventure; the desire to take on challenges.
AAJ's R.J. DeLuke spoke at length with Potter about Ultrahang, his third release with his Underground group--Craig Taborn , Adam Rogers and Nate Smith, being released officially on July 1, 2009. The two also discussed how the saxophonist has managed to achieve such in-demand status at such a young age, and his experience working with artists including Marian McPartland and Jim Hall. Learn all about it in Chris Potter: Way Above Ground with Underground, published at AAJ today.
Additionally, Managing Editor John Kelman has weighed in on Ultrahang in his CD review, also published today.
AAJ is committed to bringing you the most extensive coverage available surrounding important new releases, so be sure to check out the buzz about Chris Potter and Ultrahang at AAJ today!
First, I'd like to say a few words about being an editor for All About Jazz. The job description is simple, to edit incoming reviews by various contributors. You never know what will be next, what artist or style you'll be reading about. This is a nice surprising element I enjoy very much. And it's also very handy to learn about new music this way! 
Long-time AAJ contributor and podcaster 
Congratulations to one and all for a much deserved 2009 JJA Jazz Award. This year we'd like to bring special attention to the efforts of 
If there is a given within the music of guitarist Bill Frisell, it's the honest approach in every note he composes and plays. There are no compromises. His magical world of creativity incorporates yet transcends all styles and genres of music, and as one of today's most original and innovative composers, he has created a unique and distinct voice that has developed into his own personal musical language.
Seattle trumpeter Chad McCullough has been working hard to garner a reputation in his hometown and beyond as a versatile, creative musician. McCullough has performed with a wide range of artists, including Jay Thomas, Claudio Roditi, Marc Seales, Thomas Marriott, Ingrid Jensen and Bob Florence. He's toured extensively with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in the jazz trumpet chair, and also as the band's pianist.
Arturo O'Farrill, an extraordinary pianist, admits he came out of the bebop school of playing, a Bud Powell disciple, and his strong chops would attest to that. He didn't pursue the music of his father--the great Chico O'Farrill--in his younger days, but he came upon it as he studied the music. He came to not only appreciate it, but his excellent bands embody it.
There is no place for fear or doubt in pianist Craig Taborn's playing--such states are banished from a mind that seeks to explore the musical possibilities of each moment with maximum freedom. Taborn's improvisational playing is a continual creation where the journey is the thing, and words like beautiful, ugly and mistake have virtually no meaning. True improvisers like Taborn, with the ability to take the leap into the unknown, have always been a fairly rare breed.
Alto saxophonist Steve Lehman's Travail, Transformation, and Flow is his most fully-realized album to date. AAJ is celebrating the June 9, 2009 release of his new octet album with two reviews and a free downloadable MP3 track from the album:
If you close your eyes while listening to Ran Blake's Driftwoods (Tompkins Square, 2009), you may find yourself transported into the grainy, low-key black and white world of a 1940s or '50s classic noir film. Try to leave the theater and something quietly, without much fanfare draws you back into the story. This is the music of Ran Blake. While the vaguely familiar exists, there's enough hidden in the shadows of Driftwoods to make each listen seem like a world premiere.
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