On his third album for ECM, Chris Potter introduces a new acoustic quartet as bandleader, seamlessly blending melodic expressiveness with powerful rhythms. The band consists of musicians familiar to ECM listeners from numerous New York productions of recent years: David Virelles on keyboards, Joe Martin on bass, and Marcus Gilmore on drums. Alongside Potter, who plays various wind instruments, they impress with their virtuosity. On 'The Dreamer Is the Dream,' Potter is primarily featured on tenor saxophone—the instrument with which he ranks among the leading musicians of his generation. Highlights of the album include tracks such as 'Yasodhara,' 'Memory and Desire' on soprano saxophone, and the title track on bass clarinet. According to 'The New Yorker,' Potter consistently places his impressive technique at the service of the music, not gimmicks, and expands the tonal palette and moods of his compositions with each new album. In addition to previous ECM recordings such as 'Imaginary Cities' and 'The Sirens', he also contributed to renowned releases from the label, including Paul Motian's 'Lost in a Dream' and Dave Holland's award-winning 'What Goes Around'.
