Steve Potts (born January 21, 1943 in Columbus, Ohio) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

saxophonist. Playing mainly

alto sax The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B ten ...

and occasionally soprano, Potts is best known for his 30-year partnership with fellow saxophonist Steve Lacy. A cousin of tenor saxophonist

Buddy Tate George Holmes "Buddy" Tate (February 22, 1913 – February 10, 2001) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Tate was born in Sherman, Texas, United States, and first played the alto saxophone. According to the website All A ...

, Potts studied architecture in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

and took lessons from saxophonist Charles Lloyd. Afterwards he went to New York where he was student of Eric Dolphy and performed with

Roy Ayers Roy Ayers (born September 10, 1940) is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and music producer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Po ...

, Richard Davis, Joe Henderson,

Reggie Workman Reginald "Reggie" Workman (born June 26, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey. Career Early in his career, Workman wo ...

, and Chico Hamilton. In 1970 he moved to Europe to live in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

. He performed with

Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gi ...

Johnny Griffin John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of ...

, Slide Hampton, Mal Waldron,

Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Early life and career A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he studied violin, learned how to play blues on the piano from ...

Hal Singer Harold Joseph Singer (October 8, 1919 – August 18, 2020), also known as Hal "Cornbread" Singer, was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and jazz bandleader and saxophonist. Early life Harold Joseph Singer was born in Greenwood District, Tul ...

Christian Escoudé Christian Escoudé (born 1947) is a French Gypsy jazz guitarist. He grew up in Angoulême and is of Romani descent on his father's side. His father was also a guitarist who was influenced by Django Reinhardt. When Escoudé was ten, his father b ...

Boulou Ferré Boulou Ferré (born Jean-Jacques Ferret, 24 April 1951) is a French virtuoso jazz guitarist, composer, arranger, and improviser. He is the brother of Elios Ferré, also a jazz musician, with whom he has recorded widely. His repertoire includes ja ...

, and Oliver Johnson. Around 1973 he met Steve Lacy and played in his groups for 30 years. Potts also produced film scores.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

*''Great Day in the Morning'' with

Jessye Norman Jessye Mae Norman (September 15, 1945 – September 30, 2019) was an American opera singer and recitalist. She was able to perform dramatic soprano roles, but refused to be limited to that voice type. A commanding presence on operatic, concert ...

, 1982 *''Cross Roads'', 1979 *''People'', 1986 *'' Flim-Flam'' (hat ART, 1986 991 with Steve Lacy *''Thank You for Being'', 1995 *''Mukta'', 1998 *''Pearl'', 1990 *''Wet Spot'', 2000

As sideman

With Chico Hamilton *'' The Gamut'' (Solid State, 1968) *''

The Head Hunters ''The Head Hunters'' is an album by American jazz drummer Chico Hamilton featuring performances recorded in 1968 and originally released on the Solid State label.Payne, D.Solid State Records discographyaccessed June 30, 2015 Reception The Allmu ...

'' (Solid State, 1969) With Steve Lacy *'' Mal Waldron with the Steve Lacy Quintet'' (America, 1972) *''The Gap'' (America, 1972) *''The Crust'' (Emanem, 1973) *''Scraps'' (Saravah, 1974) *''Flakes'' (RCA Vista, 1974) *''Dreams'' (Saravah, 1975) *''Raps'' (Adelphi, 1977) *''Follies'' (FMP, 1977) *''The Owl'' (Saravah, 1977) *''Points'' (Chant Du Monde, 1978) * ''

Stamps Stamp or Stamps or Stamping may refer to: Official documents and related impressions * Postage stamp, used to indicate prepayment of fees for public mail * Ration stamp, indicating the right to rationed goods * Revenue stamp, used on documents to ...

'' (HatHut, 1979) *''

Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an " ...

'' (Black Saint, 1979) *'' The Way'' (Hathut, 1979 980 *''Tips'' (Hathut, 1979) *''

Songs A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetition ...

'' (hat ART, 1981) with Brion Gysin *''Ballets'' (Hathut, 1981) *'' Blinks'' (Hathut, 1983) *'' Prospectus'' (hat ART, 1983) also released as ''Cliches'' *''Futurities'' (Hathut, 1984) *''The Condor'' (Soul Note, 1985) *'' The Gleam'' (Silkheart, 1986) *'' Morning Joy'' (Hathut, 1986) *''Live in Budapest'' (West Wind, 1987) *'' Momentum'' (Novus, 1987) *'' The Window'' (Novus, 1988) *'' The Door'' (Novus, 1989) *'' Anthem'' (Novus, 1990) *'' Itinerary'' (Hathut, 1991) *'' Live at Sweet Basil'' (RCA Novus, 1992) *'' Clangs'' (hat ART, 1993) *'' We See'' (Hathut, 1993) *''

Vespers Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic (both Latin and Eastern), Lutheran, and Anglican liturgies. The word for this fixed prayer time comes from the Latin , meanin ...

'' (Soul Note, 1993) *''

Revenue In accounting, revenue is the total amount of income generated by the sale of goods and services related to the primary operations of the business. Commercial revenue may also be referred to as sales or as turnover. Some companies receive reven ...

'' (Soul Note, 1993)

Film scores

*''Sujet ou Le secrétaire aux 1001 tiroirs'', 1975 *''Bengali Night'', 1988 *''Louise (take 2)'', 1998

External links

* http://www.stevepotts.net/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Potts, Steve 1943 births American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists Living people World Saxophone Quartet members 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians