American Chris Potter is one of the most prominent and in-demand saxophonists in contemporary jazz. He played with Patricia Barber and Steely Dan, among others, but jazz cats will especially praise him as the sideman of bassist Dave Holland. Like Holland, Potter is now making his debut on the prestigious ECM label. The Sirens rubs shoulders with modern creative jazz and neo-bop, but more than that
… Potter seems to want to please the listener with a balanced mix of uptempo jazz pieces and ballads. All virtuoso and smoothly performed by Potter himself, alongside pianist Craig Taborn and drummer Eric Harland, among others. But the quintet just does not want to drift and continues to make music within Potter's compositions, even in the solos. As a result, The Sirens threatens to collapse in the long run and not keep you on track. A record that cannot really be faulted, but that does not want to touch or surprise. (MR)more