Shortly before the recording of
Vertigo,
Chris Potter suffered partial hearing loss after undergoing treatments for Ménière’s disease, an inner ear condition. Vertigo was in fact one of the symptoms he had been experiencing. Despite (or perhaps because of) the somewhat frightening circumstance that led to its title,
Vertigo is
Potter's most mature and expressive work to date. "Almost Home" and "Wake Up" are two of his prettiest, most memorable melodies. "Fishy" and the title track feature bass clarinet overdubs that double
Scott Colley's basslines, to great effect. "Shiva" opens the record with an angular melodic line, stated in unison with utmost precision by
Potter and guitarist
Kurt Rosenwinkel, whose warm yet crisp tone is a delight. Drummer
Billy Drummond trades 12-bar solo statements with
Colley on "Long Walk, Short Pier," the first of three tracks to feature guest tenor man
Joe Lovano. ("This Will Be," based on the standard "My Shining Hour," and "Modeen's Mood," a free-form tribute to drummer
Paul Motian, are the other two.) "Act III, Scene I" is a rubato meditation on the most famous Shakespeare soliloquy of them all ("To be or not to be"). Even more than
Unspoken,
Potter's superstar session with
John Scofield,
Dave Holland, and
Jack DeJohnette,
Vertigo reveals
Potter as a player and composer with an uncommonly personal vision. ~ David R. Adler