Potter quartet stars in an evening of fine jazz

It was a beautiful night for music. The air was warm and thick, and it hung over the people outside the theater like a humid quilt. The weather had finally turned to summer, and an air of hopeful anticipation drifted through the crowd. Everyone was hoping the Chris Potter Quartet would be as good as it was lauded to be. It was. \nThe night started with the Steve Allee Trio, a hopeful jazz group whose music was pleasant and entertaining, although it waxed a bit long. The trio begged a prime rib and Chablis and the constant murmurs of a busy steakhouse. In other words, it seemed more appropriate for background music -- not bad, by any means -- but not exceptional. The Steve Allee Trio did, however, provide an excellent contrast for the act that was to follow.\nChris Potter was brought to the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre by Jazz from Bloomington, a local nonprofit music organization. Bloomington was lucky to grab him for a concert, as Potter is well respected in the jazz community as not only a talented performer, but also a gifted composer. Potter, who completed his education at the Manhattan School of Music, performed mostly original compositions, ranging from evocative ballads to pieces with a more upbeat tempo. \nPotter was not the only talent on stage either -- his entire quartet was fantastic. The quartet, which consists of Potter on tenor sax, Kevin Hayes on piano, Scott Colley on bass and Bill Stewart on drums, worked together to form a very well balanced ensemble. The musical interplay was often very subtle, and it required a great deal of attention and collaboration on every musician's part. \nThe interactions between the members of the quartet were, in fact, one of the best parts of the concert. Each musician took turns at solos throughout the show, and as one played, the others looked on with what was obviously a great deal of respect and admiration. It seemed as if all of them, including Potter -- the resident celebrity -- were humbled by the others' ability to make the most of the music. Not to mention they were obviously enjoying themselves and generally having fun with the show. \nResident jazz legend David Baker was also honored at the concert as the recipient of the third annual Al Cobine Award. As Jazz from Bloomington puts it, the award is given in order to "recognize individuals who have provided outstanding service to jazz in South Central Indiana." \nWith 70 books, 400 articles and more than 65 recordings and 2,000 compositions, David Baker certainly fits the description. He is a distinguished professor at IU, and has spent many years sharing his love of jazz to students in his studio, his classes and his performances.