Bob Reynolds

Saxophonist. Composer. Melody Architect.

Chris Potter plays “All The Things You Are” in 7/4

by Bob Reynolds Get exclusive music

The sound quality is poor but not atrocious. The playing is (of course) magnificent.

Take note of:

  • How he works an idea through a chorus.
  • How he adjusts tone, attack, space, density and volume depending on Kreisberg’s accompaniment.
  • The interactive moments (5:50 is one of many, and listen to how he transforms Kreisberg’s idea ~8:55!).
  • The counterpoint toward the end.
  • The ending. A reminder that improvising—especially with others—is (supposed to be) FUN!
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About Bob Reynolds

Bob Reynolds is a jazz saxophonist and 3x GRAMMY Award-winning member of the instrumental supergroup Snarky Puppy. He's toured and recorded with John Mayer and released 11 albums as a solo artist. Bob teaches jazz improvisation and saxophone lessons through his Virtual Studio and an annual retreat for saxophonists.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Olivier Bernard says

    Hi Bob,

    Tanks for this video (in fact i’ve already sawn it but it’s always a pleasure)
    But is it in 5/4 or sometimes they play in 7/4 ? I hear two half notes with two dotter quarter …

    Oliv

    PS: sorry for my english but … try to answer in french 😉

  2. Paul says

    Killin’! Thanks for sharing! Potter’s lines are so killin’ and then you transcribe a few of them and they seem accessible. Just a master of navigating the changes with great melodic invention. (I’m sure it was just a typo but be prepared for everyone to make the 7/4 comment.)

  3. Bob Reynolds says

    Doh! Typing too fast. It is definitely 7/4 NOT 5/4. Thanks for catching that, guys. 🙂

    • Oliv says

      Maybe i’m wrong but i still believe they are playing sometimes in 7 and sometimes in 5. Not only my ears tell me that but also the board behind Chris with some notes about 3 against 4. And well, since it’s a masterclass, it could be and an example …
      Does that make sense ?

  5. RoMercy says

    It’s definitely in 7/4. That said, at approx five minutes in, Kreisler is playing 10 notes over 7/4, implying a new clave of dotted-quarter, dotted-quarter, half-note (in the implied meter), before returning to the 7/4 clave which is half-note, half-note, dotted-quarter, dotted quarter. Pretty badass.